Surprisingly, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk reportedly decided to join Real Madrid last summer and ended up renewing his contract at Anfield, Diario AS reports.
The story resurfaced on the same day that the two European giants meet in the UEFA Champions League, adding further intrigue to an already heated match.
The Spanish newspaper claims Van Dijk and his agent “fought to the last moment” to secure a move to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Van Dijk asked to join Real Madrid
The player’s representatives are said to have made direct contact with Real Madrid executives and contacted a Spanish intermediary to explore the possibility of a transfer.
However, this approach received a lukewarm response from the Madrid side, who abandoned the move to sign the Dutch defender and instead focused on younger replacements.
At that point, Van Dijk had not yet committed to a contract extension. The uncertainty has reportedly fueled speculation that the Dutchman might seek a new challenge overseas after his dominant spell with Liverpool in England.
In the end, Real Madrid chose to go in a different direction, investing in youngsters by signing Dean Heusen and maintaining faith in Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba.
Liverpool captain finally signs new contract
Meanwhile, Van Dijk reaffirmed his loyalty to Liverpool by signing a contract extension in the summer, extending his stay at the Merseyside club.
Since then, the Dutch international has continued to lead Liverpool on and off the pitch.
The timing of the report has reignited debate about what was going on, as Real Madrid visit Anfield for a crucial Champions League clash.
While Madrid have steered in a different direction, Van Dijk’s lasting influence at Liverpool suggests that, so far, both clubs have few regrets about the turn of events.
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