What happened to the eight Virgil van Dijk transfer alternatives Liverpool targeted in 2017

Liverpool were forced to explore alternatives for Virgil van Dijk back in 2017 after Southampton complained about the manner of the Reds’ approach for the Dutchman

Liverpool have handed Virgil van Dijk a two-year contract extension, though had things turned out differently back in 2017, he may well have never joined. The Reds began their pursuit of the Dutchman that summer.

But they ran into issues, with Southampton complaining about the manner of their approach. That led to Liverpool publicly declaring they would not be pursuing a move for the centre-back.

A club statement read: “Liverpool Football Club would like to put on record our regret over recent media speculation regarding Southampton Football Club and player transfers between the two clubs.”

“We apologise to the owner, board of directors and fans of Southampton for any misunderstanding regarding Virgil van Dijk. We respect Southampton’s position and can confirm we have ended any interest in the player.”

That forced the Reds into looking at alternatives, with eight players finding themselves linked to Anfield. Liverpool of course merely waited until January before returning for Van Dijk, but here Mirror Football looks at what happened to the eight alternatives.

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Michael Keane

After helping Burnley avoid relegation from the top-flight, Michael Keane’s stock was high. As well as Manchester United, Liverpool also sized up a move for him as they looked to add aerial strength to their back four.

He instead opted to join the Reds’ bitter rivals Everton for £25million. It has been a mixed spell at Goodison Park for the Englishman, who has made more than 200 appearances for the Toffees and earned a smattering of England caps.

Ben Gibson

Having impressed for Middlesbrough despite their relegation from the Premier League, Ben Gibson emerged as a surprise option. Seen as a natural leader, he was valued at £25million.

But after Liverpool opted against signing him, he made a disastrous move to Burnley. Gibson has since featured only in the Championship and is currently with Stoke City as they battle against relegation.

Harry Maguire

Having already raided Hull for Andy Robertson that summer, Liverpool weighed up bringing in his then-teammate Harry Maguire. The defender subsequently joined Leicester, where he impressed and earned a starting spot in the England team.

He ultimately joined Manchester United in an £80million, earning the captaincy before being stripped of it. It has been a mixed time at Old Trafford for the 32-year-old, the last-gasp winner against Lyon not-withstanding.

Felipe

It was not only the Premier League where Liverpool looked for defensive options. Felipe’s impressive performances for Porto saw the Brazilian rise up the Reds’ list of targets.

He would ultimately help Porto to win the Primeira Liga title in 2018 before securing a move to Atletico Madrid. He became a key player for Diego Simeone’s side, helping them to win La Liga in 2021, before spending the final 18 months of his career with Nottingham Forest.

Stefan de Vrij

Stefan de Vrij had impressed for Feyenoord and Lazio, as well as being named in the team of the tournament for the 2014 World Cup. Liverpool reportedly saw a £17m bid for the defender rejected by Lazio, who were holding out for £30m.

The Reds did not pursue a move for the Dutchman, who would join Inter Milan instead the following year. He has been a key man for the Italian giants, helping them to win two Serie A titles, two Coppa Italias and reach the 2023 Champions League final. They are on course to win the Italian title again this year and have also made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Dayot Upamecano

Liverpool’s leaky defence became a key issue in the first part of the 2017/2018 campaign, with then boss Jurgen Klopp thought to have identified Dayot Upamecano as a potential option.

There was strong interest in the Frenchman, but RB Leipzig rebuffed all attempts to sign him. He joined Bayern Munich in 2021, where he has endured a difficult time despite winning two Bundesliga titles.

Caglar Soyuncu

Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal all grew interested in Caglar Soyuncu. The Turkish star had impressed at Bundesliga upstarts Freiburg, though would ultimately join Leicester in 2018.

He continued to impress in the Premier League and following their 2023 relegation, he moved to Atletico Madrid. It was a difficult spell in Spain though and he joined Fenerbahce permanently last summer after a successful loan.

Romain Saiss

Having built his reputation in France, Romain Saiss continued to impress at Wolves in the Championship. His performances caught the eye of Liverpool, though he would remain at the Midlands side.

He helped them win promotion in 2018 before becoming one of the heroes of the 2022 World Cup, captaining Morocco to the semi-finals. He joined Beşiktaş in 2022 and is now with Qatari side Al-Sadd.

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