Iraola lists four centre-backs as Liverpool brace for Van Dijk exit

Andoni Iraola has placed four top stars on Liverpool’s shortlist as the club prepares for a major defensive reshuffle. With Virgil van Dijk’s contract due to run out at the end of the 2026/27 season, the Dutchman could depart alongside fellow defender Joe Gomez by summer 2027.

Contract expiry fuels uncertainty

The defensive duo’s contracts both expire at the close of the 2026/27 campaign, and negotiations have remained relatively quiet. At 35, Van Dijk is a defensive colossus but is beginning to show signs of slowing down this term, making his potential exit the biggest loss Liverpool could face.

Joe Gomez has been a useful squad player, deployed across the backline by Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot before Iraola took charge. His contract also ends next summer, meaning Liverpool will need an experienced centre‑back to partner the likes of Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni if the pair depart.

FOUR senior centre‑backs on the shortlist

A Football Insider report says four senior options are now on Iraola’s list: Nico Schlotterbeck, Nottingham Forest’s Murillo, Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and Barcelona’s Jules Kounde. The report quotes the club as actively admiring each player as potential replacements for Van Dijk and Gomez.

Schlotterbeck, the 26‑year‑old German international, recently renewed his Borussia Dortmund contract but that does not deter Liverpool’s interest. Murillo, meanwhile, is a long‑term target who appears ready to take the next step in his promising Premier League career.

Bastoni has been consistently linked with a move away from Inter Milan over the past couple of seasons, and could finally depart for new pastures. Kounde, unable to secure a regular starting berth at Barcelona, may be prepared to follow Ronald Araujo to Anfield.

Iraola and Julian Ward are building a new generation of defensive talent, yet the 2024/25 Premier League champions may find themselves a little short of experience without the departing duo. The FOUR‑player shortlist therefore represents the club’s immediate plan to maintain defensive stability.