The plan for life after Virgil van Dijk is taking shape at Anfield, if a well-connected scout is to be believed.

Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider on Thursday that Andoni Iraola’s side are actively scouting the market for a long-term successor to their captain, and that Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite is top of the list.

“Liverpool are looking at left-sided centre-backs to come in and replace Van Dijk,” Brown said.

“It seems like Branthwaite ticks a lot of boxes, and when you’re talking about replacements for Van Dijk, he is somebody who is going to be very high on that list.”

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Football365 has framed the same speculation as a rumour that the Anfield hierarchy is preparing to let the captain move on rather than open fresh contract negotiations. Neither the club nor Van Dijk has confirmed anything publicly.

Van Dijk’s Anfield deal ticks toward 2027

The Netherlands captain, 35, signed a two-year extension on 17 April 2025 that keeps him at Liverpool until the end of the 2026-27 season. He would be 36 by the time it expires.

Iraola, appointed as Liverpool head coach on 4 June 2026, inherited a squad in transition after replacing Arne Slot at the end of last season. Turning over the spine of the defence would be one of the biggest calls of his tenure.

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Any Branthwaite move would run into a wall on the other side of Merseyside.

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The 24-year-old defender signed a new deal with Everton in the summer of 2025 that ties him to Goodison Park until 2030, and Brown acknowledged that prising him out of David Moyes’ side would not be simple. Manchester United retain a long-standing interest of their own, according to Football Insider, having seen bids rejected two years ago.

No club has confirmed anything on either side of the story, and Van Dijk’s current contract still has a full season to run.

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