Liverpool 'very interested' in £42m Borussia Dortmund star defender, who could be the poster-boy of a desperate FIRE SALE and a potential successor to Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool are reportedly 'very interested' in signing Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck as a potential successor to Virgil van Dijk.

The German international could be set to leave Dortmund in the summer alongside a raft of team-mates if they miss out on European football.

It has been a disaster season for last season's Champions League finalists, who sit 10th in the Bundesliga, but Schlotterbeck has been praised as a leadership figure.

Liverpool willing to pay around £42million for the 25-year-old, according to Bild's report, and his contract expires in 2027.

That fee would make him their second-most expensive defender ever, behind the £75m they paid Southampton for Van Dijk in 2018.

The Reds must plan for the future in central defence with Van Dijk's contract up in the summer, while Joe Gomez is also seen as a possible candidate to leave.

Liverpool are reportedly very interested in signing Borussia Dortmund star Nico Schlotterbeck

He could be a successor to Kop favourite Virgil van Dijk, whose contract expires in the summer

Even Ibrahima Konate could exit Anfield because his contract expires in 2026 and Paris Saint-Germain are said to be keen on him.

Schlotterbeck, who stands at 6ft 3in, is in his third season with Dortmund and is one of the back-up captains behind former Liverpool man Emre Can.

He is believed to earn around £4.2m per year, as per Capology, which puts him in line with Liverpool's mid-level earners.

Having started his career with SC Freiburg, he spent a season on loan with Union Berlin before making the switch to Germany's second-biggest club in 2022.

He has already been named in the Bundesliga team of the season twice, in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Last season he was an instrumental part of the team which reached the Champions League final and started in the showpiece event as Dortmund lost 2-0 to Real Madrid.

Liverpool have had good fortune recruiting from the Bundesliga over the past decade, picking up success stories such as Roberto Firmino, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate, Can, and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Their chances of landing Schlotterbeck will hinge partly on how Dortmund fare in Wednesday's Champions League last 16 second leg against Lille.

Dortmund could face a mass exodus of stars in the summer if they fail to qualify for Europe

Arne Slot has insisted that Liverpool are 'definitely' working on transfer targets for the summer

Dortmund manager Niko Kovac, who joined in January, is hoping to turn their season around

Dortmund visit northern France with the score level at 1-1 and crashing out at this stage could be the nail in the coffin for their stars' confidence in the club.

However, if Dortmund can mount another deep run and improve their league form, that could persuade some of their key stars to stay put.

Arne Slot reassured fans in January that Liverpool are 'definitely' working on summer signings after a mute, if effective, approach to the transfer market during his reign to date.

The club made two additions last summer, bringing in Federico Chiesa, who has largely been absent due to injury, and Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will not join the squad until next term.

'I know people sometimes question this because they haven't seen us doing a lot in the transfer market in the summer and now in the winter as well. There's a reason for that - because we're happy with the squad,' he said.

'But I do know we're definitely working on strengthening in the summer.'

The Telegraph reported that the Merseysiders are interested in signing Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez, who could cost north of £40m.

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