Breaking: Liverpool star “pushed until the very last moment” for a summer move to Real Madrid
In a surprising twist, reports from Diario AS suggest that Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk made a serious attempt to join Real Madrid during the summer transfer window before ultimately extending his contract at Anfield.
The story has re-emerged just hours before Liverpool and Real Madrid meet in the UEFA Champions League, adding fresh drama to an already intense showdown between the European heavyweights.
According to the Spanish outlet, Van Dijk and his representatives “fought until the last minute” to engineer a move to the Santiago Bernabéu. His camp reportedly reached out to intermediaries in Spain in an effort to open direct communication with Real Madrid’s top officials, hoping to spark negotiations.
However, the approach was said to have received only mild interest from Madrid, who decided not to pursue the Dutch centre-back and instead prioritised younger defensive options. At the time, Van Dijk had yet to commit to a new deal with Liverpool, sparking speculation that he might be ready to seek a fresh challenge after years of dominance in the Premier League.
Real Madrid ultimately turned their focus elsewhere, putting their faith in Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger, and David Alaba, while also investing in young prospect Dean Huijsen.
Van Dijk, meanwhile, chose to reaffirm his commitment to Liverpool by signing a new contract over the summer, extending his stay on Merseyside. Since then, he has continued to serve as a key leader both on and off the pitch.
Now, with Real Madrid back at Anfield for a crucial Champions League clash, the resurfacing of this story has reignited debate over what could have been—though it seems both clubs are content with how things ultimately turned out.
