Liverpool have reportedly been quoted a price tag of £41m for Wolfsburg centre-back Konstantinos Koulierakis, who is wanted by Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.
Despite the Reds residing in first place in the Premier League - 13 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal - fans continue to worry about the future of captain Virgil van Dijk.
The Dutchman has less than six months remaining on his current Liverpool deal and could soon head for the exit door unless a contract extension is agreed before this summer.
Van Dijk has often expressed his desire to stay at Anfield beyond this season, but with the 2024-25 campaign coming to an end in May, there are fears that the centre-back will depart Merseyside.
The Reds will almost certainly be forced to sign a replacement should he leave, and the Birmingham Mail claim that target Koulierakis is available for just over £40m in the summer.
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Koulierakis assessed
The centre-back is only 21 years old, but he is responsible for conducting his side's build-up from the back, with no other player in the team attempting more passes in the Bundesliga (1160).
Wolfsburg boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has implemented a direct style of play and that has meant Koulierakis has often had to deal with counter-attacks, but the defender is comfortable operating in a high defensive line.
No other Wolves player has made more interceptions (23) or taken more touches (1,411), and it should be noted that he also has attempted more carries (795) than any of his teammates.
However, his aerial duel success rate of 58.6% is significantly worse than Van Dijk's success rate of 71.5%, and it remains to be seen if he could scale that figure in the Premier League.
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Liverpool must avoid Van Dijk mistake
Though Van Dijk will be 34 by the time next season starts, Liverpool will find it hard to find someone as well-rounded to play in the heart of defence.
Ibrahima Konate is an excellent channel defender and is capable of leading the Reds' backline, but he does not possess the same passing range as his Dutch partner.
While Van Dijk could take a step back in terms of performance level as he ages, boss Arne Slot has implemented a less demanding system compared to previous manager Jurgen Klopp.
There is a chance that the Liverpool captain could enjoy a prolonged period at the top level under his current head coach, and it would undoubtedly be risky to allow him to leave for free at the end of the season.
Lewis Nolan
