It remains to be seen whether this could also be an initial opening towards Milan. From the Netherlands' training camp, Virgil van Dijk has for the first time cast doubt on his future at Liverpool when his current contract expires on 30 June. "A renewal? If it happens, great, otherwise I will go elsewhere," were the words of the Dutch defender, who currently says he is "calm" about his future.
His words will also have reached the ears of Gerry Cardinale, who has always been a huge admirer of Van Dijk. The head of RedBird, which holds a minority stake (just over 10%) in Fenway Sports Group, the holding company that owns Liverpool, would certainly not be against bringing the giant from Breda to Milanello, perhaps as a gift to celebrate the return to the Champions League.
The idea first came to him a few months ago, but even last summer the conditions were not there to dream of such a major signing. Van Dijk still had a year left on his contract with the Reds and the new coach Iraola, who had previously also been targeted by Milan, absolutely did not want to lose the cornerstone of his defence.
The situation will already be different from January onwards, unless the Dutchman signs a new contract on the banks of the Mersey before then. However, as the player himself revealed a few days ago, there are currently no signs pointing in that direction. Therefore, from the beginning of next year, Virgil would be free to discuss and potentially reach agreements with another club.
Competition:
Van Dijk is not only one of Cardinale's favourites, but also one of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's. A connection between giants. Obviously, however, there is no shortage of admirers far from Milan either. Starting with Turkish clubs (Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Trabzonspor, with Momo Salah more than happy to reunite with his former team-mate on the Bosphorus) and Saudi clubs.
Van Dijk will turn 36 on 8 July and, in all likelihood, his next contract will be the last of his career, or something close to it. If money is his priority, the road will inevitably become more difficult for Milan. Conversely, should Virgil want to pursue the passions he had as a child, the Rossoneri shirt could be one of the opportunities he would find most appealing.
"I loved both Nesta and Maldini," he said in an interview a few years ago. "That Milan side was something different. When you talk about Nesta, you talk about elegance; he made everything look so easy. Watching Alessandro play was like watching a Roger Federer tennis match."
Van Dijk was not a supporter ("My team was Barcelona"), but his admiration for the Rossoneri was something special.
Ambitions
Naturally, the Van Dijk dream must be supported by solid foundations. The first: Milan's return to the Champions League. Not so much for financial reasons, but in terms of appeal. The second: a team capable of competing for at least the Scudetto.
With the addition of Liverpool's centre-back and perhaps another couple of top-level players, the Rossoneri could certainly make their presence felt in the title race. Virgil would thus be something of a Modric in defence, a champion of class and experience to be added to a group that is still young and hungry, as relayed via La Gazzetta dello Sport today.
The present
While Van Dijk would be the blockbuster signing for next season, Ruben Amorim needs reinforcements in the centre of his defence for the current campaign, especially in light of Gabbia's lengthy injury, which was followed by Tomori's less serious injury in recent weeks.
Although the young Diawara has immediately proved useful to the cause, the options at the back still need to be expanded. This is why, while waiting to understand whether the Dutch Liverpool defender will remain an impossible dream or become a realistic option, Milan will still move for a defender in January.
Gonçalo Inácio of Sporting is the best-known and most appealing option, but also the most complicated, given the price and the Portuguese club's desire to keep the player. As a result, the idea is taking shape at Via Aldo Rossi of looking for younger and more affordable profiles.
The enquiries about Ismaelo Ganiou, the Lens player born in 2005, and, more recently, Massiré Sylla, the 21-year-old from Union Saint-Gilloise, should be understood in this context. Both have recently renewed their contracts with their respective clubs, but in today's transfer market this is by no means a guarantee that they will stay.
There are obviously other names on the list as well. Van Dijk's name is just a little further down, under the heading of midsummer dreams.
