Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Milan Skriniar, you’re the next contestant on Fantasy Van Dijk Partners.
We’ve been expecting to say goodbye to Dejan Lovren for awhile now. The Croatian defender was almost off to AS Roma last summer but Liverpool weren’t prepared to replace him. This upcoming transfer window would have probably been Lovren’s chance to find regular football elsewhere but due to the current financial situations that isn’t likely to happen. Still, though, rumourers gonna rumour.
It’s highly unlikely that Liverpool would try to sign Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli, as has been rumoured many times. That would be an expensive transfer and wage packet for the club to take on. Mikey Edwards isn’t having that wage packet, especially with Virgil Van Dijk about to become the highest paid Liverpool player ever. But what about the other monster defender of Serie A?
Reports from Italy suggest Liverpool have long been keeping eyes on Inter’s centre back master Milan Skriniar. The Slovakian defender, ten years younger than fellow countryman and once Liverpool stalwart Martin Skrtel, has been called the “more elegant heir to Skrtel’s throne.”
Skriniar is a good defender, good with the ball, and perhaps he’d be a great fit in Klopp’s squad but Inter aren’t interested in selling, apparently. And if the Italian club were to change their mind and look to cash in on Skriniar, the price is going to be about £45M.
The footballing world has been intent on linking defenders to Liverpool all season long. Most reports suggest Klopp is scouring the globe looking for a proper partner for Virgil Van Dijk but performances by Joe Gomez and Joël Matip would like to have a word.
Klopp has strong options in his centre of defense, including Lovren as fourth choice. I think as long as the Dej sticks around, we shouldn’t expect to welcome any new centre halves to the squad. But thanks anyway, Italy.
