A surprise twist has emerged over the future of one of Liverpool's most prominent defenders. Virgil van Dijk has been linked with a summer move to Barcelona, in a deal that could cost the Catalan club nothing.
According to El Nacional, Van Dijk is open to a new experience in Spain as Barcelona hunt for a new centre-back. His current Liverpool contract expires on 30 June, which would allow him to leave for free.
Few defenders in Europe can match Van Dijk's CV. He grew into one of Liverpool's most important players and leaders across his years at the club, and in 2019 he finished second in the Ballon d'Or race behind Lionel Messi.
The Dutchman arrived at Liverpool in a huge deal worth more than 80 million euros, a figure that caused plenty of controversy at the time. Over the years, Van Dijk proved it was a shrewd investment for the English club.
His Anfield haul says it all: the Champions League, the Premier League twice, the Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. He also took the armband and became one of the team's defining figures.
Van Dijk could add vast experience to Barcelona's defence, yet the report claims Hansi Flick is not convinced, even with the deal costing nothing.
The German coach worries that bringing in Van Dijk at the age of 36 would demand a period of adaptation. He also fears that signing a veteran of that stature could squeeze the game time of some of the club's younger players.
Flick has one eye on the development of players like Gerard Martin and a clutch of talents from the La Masia academy, which makes him wary of the Van Dijk move.
Younger options are what the coach really wants at the heart of defence, according to the report. Alessandro Bastoni, Rodrigo De Paul and Nico Schlotterbeck all feature prominently on his list.
Should the board push for a more experienced signing, Flick would rather have Aymeric Laporte than Van Dijk. That preference lays bare his reservations about the Liverpool captain, whatever quality and know-how the Dutchman might bring.
The ball now sits in Barcelona's court. Van Dijk has opened the door to a switch, but Flick wants to weigh up other options before deciding how to reinforce his defence.