Aldridge: Van Dijk could leave after the season, Liverpool should re-sign Quansah

According to the Liverpool Echo, Liverpool legend John Aldridge stated in his weekly column that Van Dijk might leave after the season and that Liverpool should re-sign Quansah.

Van Dijk's contract expires at the end of the season. We need his experience, but it appears this will very likely be his last season at Liverpool.

Aldridge stated that everything seemed to work well when Van Dijk partnered with Quansah. Quansah is more agile than Konaté and appears to be a better fit alongside Van Dijk.

On the other hand, Araújo adds defensive stability. He might be slightly limited when pushing forward, but defensively, his experience will be crucial against Manchester City.

Aldridge said: "To get the best possible result against Manchester City, we have to keep a clean sheet, especially considering how many attacking options we'll have. Hopefully, they prove me wrong. But those three defenders played very well together."

There's still a long way to go this season. Araújo has had a very good start, and his experience is evident. Hopefully, he stays injury-free all season. By then, the £47 million buy-option could become viable.

Aldridge said: "But do you know what I'd do? I'd consider bringing Quansah back. His buy-back option is £56 million, and to me, that's the obvious choice."

He added: "Next season, if Van Dijk leaves, we could have Araújo, Quansah, Konaté, and Leone, which would be four very good options."

Slot wasn't impressed with Quansah after the opening match of the season against Ipswich. It was clear that he didn't use Quansah much at the time and didn't trust him, but Quansah has since proven Slot wrong.

Quansah went to Bayer Leverkusen and performed exceptionally well. He also played well for England. Aldridge believes Liverpool needs four truly excellent centre-backs.

Jarell Quansah is recovering from a serious injury. Aldridge said: "We haven't seen much of him, but he looks good, really good; early signs are positive."

Aldridge said: "Bringing Quansah back next year is an absolute no-brainer. As long as he's willing to come back. He's from Warrington. I hope he's also a Liverpool man. If so, there's no reason not to bring him back."

Liverpool holds a buy-back clause. If they want Quansah, they can activate it. This would make Liverpool's centre-back position very solid next year.

This remains true even if Van Dijk leaves after many years at Liverpool. Since Joël Matip's departure, this position has been uncertain. Aldridge said he never really rated Konaté.

However, he believes Liverpool's defence is now gradually showing positive signs, and bringing Quansah back would be a wise move.

If Van Dijk leaves, Liverpool will also need to consider the next captain. Szoboszlai is clearly a candidate, but Araújo could also be an option. Araújo captained Barcelona and, despite having just arrived at Liverpool, is very experienced.

Wirtz must step up, especially following the injuries to the forwards.

Aldridge stated that this international break was bittersweet for Slot. From reports, several Liverpool players seemed to perform quite well.

Many of them scored goals. Van Dijk made his 100th national team appearance, while Wirtz wore the Germany captain's armband. However, looking ahead to the match against Manchester City, Liverpool's biggest concern remains injuries.

Aldridge said: "We can only hope Gakpo or Isak are healthy enough to lead the line. Because if they're not, we could be in real trouble."

He stated that Manchester City is currently in excellent form, and this match will be very tough, especially if Liverpool is without either Gakpo or Isak.

Aldridge said: "The only thing that can help us is the home atmosphere. I think the crowd will be electric. I believe the fans will turn up, and we hope to remain unbeaten."

"But if one of those players isn't in the attack, honestly, we'll struggle. If it comes to that, we'll have to see what Slot decides."

Aldridge said: "We all like young Luis Koumas, and what he can bring. But a match of this calibre would be very difficult for such a young player."

He also mentioned that Liverpool could deploy Wirtz further upfield. Liverpool has previously played against Manchester City without a striker, and that match went well.

Aldridge believes Wirtz's performance during this international break was reasonable, but the issue isn't just form; he also has to contend with the situation and pressure. The media has focused on Wirtz, and he's putting pressure on himself.

Aldridge said: "He's a very good player. We need him now, we really need him to push the team to where we should be, to compete with Arsenal and other sides ahead of us."

He believes that Liverpool's need to discuss attacking options indicates the team's current situation—that the squad depth is insufficient.

Aldridge said: "To be honest, we're a bit unlucky. Ekitike, Gakpo, and Isak could all be sidelined. I'm not sure if Muñoz, Wirtz, Ngoumou, or Barcola can play that position effectively."

"It's hard to say. Hopefully, Isak's absence is just precautionary, as he felt slight discomfort in his thigh, and he'll be fine soon. We can only hope."

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