With Virgil van Dijk's current Liverpool contract coming to an end this time next year, the Reds reportedly want to sign a long-term replacement in the form of a player who recently made history for his current club.
Liverpool transfer news
There's no need for Liverpool to panic over the short-term future of their captain quite yet. The Dutchman has made it clear on more than one occasion that he is keen to stay put at Anfield, saying recently via The Metro: "I still have a year left on my contract. I am club captain and I have made it clear I am there for the new coach and enthusiastic over the next season.
"Obviously, there will be a lot of changes but I am confident we will make a big success of it. I congratulated him of course and I'm really pleased for him and his family. We spoke about the team and the future, but now my focus is fully on the national team."
Liverpool eyeing up “world-class” £50m star who’d finally unlock Nunez
Arne Slot would wield quite the frontline by getting his hands on this long-time Anfield target.
ByAngus Sinclair May 28, 2024
It is reportedly among Liverpool's priorities to get a new deal sorted for their star defender, but even with a new deal, they should be thinking about a long-term replacement now that he's 32 years old and not getting any younger. That, of course, is where Piero Hincapie could step in.
According to Christian Martin via El Futbolero, Liverpool now want to sign Hincapie in a deal worth €50m (£42m) this summer. The defender, alongside the rest of his Bayer Leverkusen teammates, impressed many by winning the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal in an invincible season in domestic football. In fact, their only defeat of the entire campaign came against Atalanta in the Europa League final to deny them an incredible invincible treble win.
Nonetheless, becoming the first-ever team to win the Bundesliga unbeaten has its own place in history and a place Hincapie played his part in earning.
"Talented" Hincapie can help fill long-term Liverpool void
Replacing Jurgen Klopp is a tough enough task in its own right, but if Liverpool then have to replace Van Dijk just one year later, they'll have to form quite the plan, which could see Hincapie arrive before crisis mode hits. The Ecuador international is still just 22 years old but has shown more than enough potential to earn such a move in the coming months.
Starts
16
36
Progressive Carries
34
32
Ball Recoveries
78
170
Tackles Won
22
23
With fewer starts, Hincapie managed to keep up with Liverpool's captain in a number of areas, sparking plenty of promise when it comes to the peak years of his career as a central defender.
Leverkusen will be frustrated if the defender does leave, however, with sporting director Simon Rolfes previously saying via the Bundesliga's official website: "Piero’s signing 18 months ago was an investment in the future, back then he was a talented central defender with really big potential.
"He became a key performer for our Werkself a long time ago, he has shown his international quality in the Bundesliga, in the Champions League and recently at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Piero is one of the key elements in the team who we can count on to help us achieve ambitious targets in the next few years."