Real Madrid have reportedly decided against signing Virgil van Dijk for free in the summer of 2025 and only hold interest in Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Liverpool look set to enjoy a season of remarkable success, with the club six points clear of second-placed Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table while also having a game in hand on the Gunners.
The Reds are also first in the Champions League table, and boss Arne Slot has won 22, drawn three and lost just one of his 26 games in charge.
One of the few points of concern regarding Liverpool has been the threat of Mohamed Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold leaving Merseyside for free at the end of the season and potentially dampening what could be a trophy-laden campaign.
However, while Marca report that Real Madrid will pursue Alexander-Arnold, they also say that Van Dijk does not feature in their plans for the future.
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Why Liverpool must get Van Dijk to renew
Liverpool's brilliance under Slot this season has been built upon the club's strong defensive base, with Ibrahima Konate and Van Dijk forming an excellent partnership in the heart of the Reds' backline.
Slot's side have kept seven clean sheets in the league this season and have only conceded 17 goals in the Premier League in 2024-25, the second fewest of any team in the top flight.
Van Dijk's aerial win percentage of 73.6% is the league's fifth-highest figure, but he has competed for more aerial duels than all of the four players above him in that metric.
The 33-year-old might not be the youngest defender in the world, but his top speed of 34.9km/h in the Champions League makes him the joint fastest player in the Liverpool squad alongside Conor Bradley.
Unlike many of his positional peers Van Dijk does not rely on his speed to get himself out of trouble, instead using it as a last resort, and it would not be surprising to see him continue at the highest level for years to come due to his intelligence.
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Can Liverpool afford to lose Trent?
While there is still some debate about who the world's best right-back is, there is no doubt that no other full-back possesses the same skillset as Alexander-Arnold.
Considering the 26-year-old right-back should be entering his prime years in the near future, it would seem logical to prioritise his contract extension above Salah and Van Dijk's.
It should also be remembered that Trent is a boyhood Liverpool fan and could have the opportunity to captain the club, following in the footsteps of Reds legend Steven Gerrard.
However, Salah has scored 16 goals and provided 11 assists in the Premier League this season, while Van Dijk is arguably the most rounded centre-back in world football.
Losing Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid would be a blow, and while the Reds hierarchy should do all they can to get their three star players to renew, there is an argument that Trent's contract extension is of least importance.
Lewis Nolan
