Virgil van Dijk has been one of Liverpool’s great Premier League center-backs,
but his future is now up in the air as he nears the end of his contract, and a long-term solution is needed
Arne Slot doesn’t need to sign Virgil van Dijk’s replacement because he’s already in Liverpool’s squad, according to John Barnes
Liverpool icon John Barnes reckons the Reds have already got Virgil van Dijk’s heir apparent in the shape of Jarrell Quansah. Van Dijk, widely regarded as one of Liverpool’s most influential Premier League players since his move from Southampton in January 2018, has clocked up 270 appearances for the club.
However, with his contract set to expire in June 2025 and rumors swirling about his future at Anfield, the conversation about who might step into his boots is heating up. Despite the speculation, Barnes believes Liverpool’s new manager Arne Slot won’t need to search far for a successor.
He’s tipped Quansah, 21, to rise to the occasion and potentially become a leading center-back for the team. Currently, Van Dijk, 33, is absent from Liverpool’s pre-season tour in the US, having been granted a break following Euro 2024.
Addressing speculation about his future recently, the Netherlands international left the door open for a departure by saying:
“I will think carefully about what I want, both at club level and as an international player.” While The Athletic reports that those comments haven’t worried Liverpool’s hierarchy, if Van Dijk were to leave this year or next, then Barnes believes that Quansah could fill his boots.
The 60-year-old told bettingexpert.com: “I think Konate is still the first choice next to
van Dijk because he’s got the experience and the quality but Quansah didn’t let anyone down last season. He played with assurance, calmness, and maturity.
“So even if he isn’t the first choice next season, in the long term,
he’s got a bright future and with van Dijk getting older, he could be the future first-choice Liverpool center-back. With what he’s shown, he can be a backup or a starter.”
John Barnes thinks Jarell Quansah (L) is ready to step into Virgil van Dijk’s shoes(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
The Reds hold Quansah in high regard. When they approached Newcastle over a move for winger Anthony Gordon in June, the Magpies suggested a swap deal involving the defender. This, however, was swiftly dismissed by Slot’s side,
indicating that they consider Quansah untouchable for potential buyers, underlining his significance to the club.
Quansah’s rise started just a year after a loan spell in League One with Bristol Rovers,
where he scored the final goal of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool reign in what was his 33rd appearance for Liverpool.
His impressive performances earned him a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s provisional Euro 2024 squad, although he didn’t make the final cut.
Despite the setback, he responded professionally and hinted that he might be the one to fill Van Dijk’s enormous shoes. “I’m always a person who wants to improve and kick on,” he said.
“I look at the positives and the negatives, and I just try to take it all in and try to improve for the next season. That’s what my reflection sort of told me. It was just about how to kick on and how to be the best version of myself.
“It’s more of the same and to just keep improving. Like I said before, try to be the best version of myself,
keep getting better and better on the training pitch, be a sponge, and take in everything that I can.”