Liverpool have reportedly identified one defender from LaLiga as a ‘serious option’ to replace Virgil van Dijk in the long-term at Anfield.
According to Fichajes, the Reds have shown a ‘persistent interest’ in Sevilla’s Loic Bade, whose ‘solidity and youth’ are deemed to make him an ‘ideal candidate’ to be the Dutchman’s eventual successor as our defensive general.
The 24-year-old has a release clause of €60m (£50.6m) in Andalucia, with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain also having their sights set on the French centre-back.
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Bade’s reported valuation belies an abortive spell that he had in the Premier League two years ago, when he was on loan at Nottingham Forest from Rennes but never made a single appearance for the Garibaldi before the move was cut short at the start of 2023.
Within four months he’d won the Europa League with the Spanish outfit, scoring against Manchester United on their journey to final glory over Roma, which makes it all the more perplexing that he never got a chance at the City Ground.
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That was attributed to then-Forest manager Steve Cooper having reservations about throwing an inexperienced player into the rough-and-tumble of the English top flight, although it’s understood that there were no issues regarding the defender’s attitude during his time in the Midlands (The Athletic).
Bade has since established himself as a centre-back who combines defensive solidity with adept use of the ball. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 3% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues over the past year for tackles won (2.69) and successful take-ons (0.58) per 90 minutes.
The 24-year-old still has a lot to do if he’s to show that he could be a worthy long-term successor to Van Dijk at Liverpool, but if he does come to Anfield, he won’t be lacking for motivation to prove that he could make the most of a second bite at the Premier League cherry after his curious four-month spell in Nottingham.
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