A Liverpool star dreamed of wearing the Real Madrid jersey and actually offered his services to the club’s management last summer, but his request was rejected.
Marca newspaper indicated that the Reds’ captain, Virgil van Dijk, went to great lengths to try and join Real Madrid last summer when his previous contract was expiring.
Indeed, Van Dijk’s agents contacted Real Madrid more than once and offered the Dutch star to Florentino Pérez and his entourage, especially since Los Blancos were looking to sign a new center-back.
The Van Dijk deal seemed ideal for Real Madrid on the surface: a free transfer, as Pérez prefers, for a player whose quality and potential are undeniable. However, in the end, the management decided to consider other options and rejected the 33-year-old.
Real Madrid’s justification was that they were looking for a young center-back who could lead the Santiago Bernabéu defense for years, and that’s why they opted to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth for €60 million.
For his part, Van Dijk waited patiently until he received Real Madrid’s final rejection, after which, according to Marca, he decided to renew his contract with Liverpool and continue his legendary career at Anfield.
