Virgil van Dijk, who is set to turn 35 next week, might depart Liverpool this summer. The captain of the Netherlands national team has already exited the 2026 World Cup in the Round of 16 after a penalty shootout loss to Morocco.
After bolstering their attack with the record signing of Goncalo Ramos from PSG, for a total of €70 million including performance bonuses, AC Milan is now looking to enhance its defense as well.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the rossoneri are in urgent need of a central defender, and new manager Ruben Amorim has a particular interest in the Premier League, where he is familiar with the Dutch stopper.
Milan Seeks Leadership from Van Dijk
In the spring, Zlatan Ibrahimovic expressed a desire for a player like Virgil van Dijk. While acquiring him may seem challenging, Van Dijk has one year remaining on his contract, and Liverpool is already facing a departure with Ibrahima Konaté leaving for Real Madrid following the World Cup, where France has qualified for the knockout stage after a decisive win against Sweden.
However, discussions regarding Van Dijk have reached Cardinale, and an assessment of the situation is underway at RedBird. It remains to be seen whether this will lead to an official offer. Notably, any potential transaction would depend not just on Liverpool’s demands but also on Van Dijk’s preferences and salary.
This same source suggests that the Dutch captain could reshape Milan’s defensive strategy, providing them with a champion to build their defense and team around: “The rossoneri have not had an emotional leader of his caliber for a long time, and now there is an opportunity to acquire him without a significant financial outlay.”
