AC Milan have moved from one major summer statement to another ambitious idea, with Virgil van Dijk now identified as their primary defensive target. The captain is in the final year of his Liverpool contract, Milan have already completed the signing of Goncalo Ramos, and the chase is being framed as a leader-for-the-back-line move rather than a casual probe.
Milan's defensive rebuild
The reported logic is clear enough. La Gazzetta dello Sport said Milan want Van Dijk as the player to build their new defensive line around, and they have already made a heavy commitment elsewhere with the €70 million signing of Goncalo Ramos. That is a big swing in one window, and it fits the wider impression of a club trying to reset quickly.
Van Dijk is still a serious name for that role because the career record is huge. He has made 374 Liverpool appearances and scored 36 goals, which is a useful reminder that this is not being treated as a short-term patch. Even the reports around his age vary, with some putting him at 34 and others saying he turns 35 next week, but none of that has cooled the interest.
Why Liverpool make this difficult
The problem is the money, and the club position behind it. Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Van Dijk earns around €13m net per year at Liverpool, a salary Milan would struggle to match. The move is also complicated by Liverpool's own situation, with source reports saying they have already lost Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid in a free transfer.
That is the part that makes this feel more like a dream target than a live negotiation. Liverpool are not being pushed into a simple sale, and Milan are already working with a wage structure that appears tight enough to make the deal awkward before the football questions even start.
Van Dijk’s numbers still explain the appeal. He has 36 Liverpool goals, which is a strong return for a defender and the sort of added value that helps when a club is paying for leadership as much as defending. Milan are clearly drawn to that package, but the salary gap and the contract status mean the hurdle is still there.
The next move is straightforward enough to track. Milan have their summer ideas in place, Liverpool still have Van Dijk under contract for the final year, and the reports around wages suggest this is the sort of pursuit that will need a lot of work before it becomes anything more than admiration.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →