With the Reds’ vice-captain set to leave Anfield this summer, we take a look at five possible replacements at the back for the Denmark international …
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Kyriakos Papadopoulos (Schalke 04)
The Merseysiders have been keeping close tabs on the giant Greek international for well over a year now, with many expecting head coach Brendan Rodgers to sign the player during last summer’s transfer window.
However, at that time the central defender was still recovering from a serious knee-ligament injury, meaning that the Reds wanted to first assess his fitness before deciding whether or not to push ahead with plans to bring the player to Anfield.
And now with the 22-year-old back playing again, expect Rodgers to reignite his long-running interest in the defender this summer.
Dejan Lovren (Southampton)
Another centre back who Liverpoo are said to be keen on signing for next season is the Saints’ highly rated young Croatia international who has really caught the eye with his impressive displays at the back for the high-flying south-coast club so far in this campaign.
The 24-year-old, who is contracted to St Mary’s until June 2017, has featured in 30 Premier League matches to date, although Liverpool know that they are not the only club currently interested in the tall defender and so may face stiff competition for his signature at the end of the campaign.
Inigo Martinez (Real Sociedad)
Reds manager Rodgers sent his scouts over to the Basque country on Monday night to take in Sociedad’s home encounter with Granada in La Liga and run their eye over the hosts’ much talked about central defender.
The recently capped Spain international is now one of the hottest properties in La Liga, so much so that champions FC Barcelona are also said to be lining up to snap the 22-year-old up when the summer transfer window reopens for business.
Steven Caulker (Cardiff City)
Now that the Bluebirds’ relegation from the Premier League has been confirmed, rival clubs are beginning to circle around the highly rated England international with a view to signing the player for the following campaign.
Caulker, 22, only left Tottenham Hotspur to move to the South Wales outfit last summer, but the centre back will definitely be on his way out of the Principality at the end of the season, with Cardiff likely to sell their star man to the highest bidder.
Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur)
The classy Belgium international has already made it perfectly clear that he intends to quit the north London club at the end of the season now that it is impossible for Spurs to finish in the top four of the Premier League, meaning that there will be no Uefa Champions League football at White Hart Lane next campaign.
As a result, expect the Merseyside giants to join a plethora of other big-name clubs from across the Continent to soon express their interest in the 27-year-old.