Liverpool Rumors: Reds Nearing Transfer Deal For Ex-Club Captain As Van Dijk Alternative – Report

Liverpool could be closing in on the transfer of a free agent yet seasoned veteran defender from Argentina, according to a report.

No major league club has signed former Valencia captain Ezequiel Garay since June last year. However, the center-back could start anew with the reigning English Premier League champion as Liverpool is now “close to signing” Garay, Spanish outlet El Gol Digital reported. International Business Times could not independently verify this information.

The report said the Reds are nearing a deal for Garay on a free transfer and view the 34-year-old as a suitable alternative for injured star center-back Virgil van Dijk.

Despite being inactive for months, Garay has an impressive resume, having played in three European top flights, Spain’s La Liga, Portugal’s Primeira Liga and England’s Premier League.

Garay is known for this versatility, having been able to function as a center-back and a right-back his entire career.

Van Dijk, on the other hand, is still sidelined due to injury, but rumors swirl that the 2019 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year winner is considering returning for the European Championships.

Though nothing is concrete yet, Erwin Koeman, who worked with Van Dijk during the defender’s time at Southampton, is confident his former star player has carefully assessed his condition.

According to Koeman, he believes Van Dijk has been feeling the itch to return and help Liverpool win.

"Knowing Virgil [Van Dijk] I can fully imagine how he sees this issue,” Koeman told Mirror. “I ruptured my ligaments before the 1990 World Cup in Italy but I really wanted to go to the tournament. I joined the team in a late stage and I had to do extra tests to prove I was fit enough to play but I proved that I was fit.”

"As a player you don’t want to miss a World Cup or the Euros,” he added. “You want to play there at any costs. Sometimes against common sense, but it would help if he can play a game for Liverpool before June."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, had already addressed Van Dijk’s situation and bared that his star defender is “unlikely” to feature in the Euros.

“It is not my decision but to be honest the information I have in the moment is that it will be unlikely,” Klopp told reporters of Van Dijk last week. “It’s not that I don't let them go, because I don't want to have to do that anyway. It is because of the extent of the injuries.”

“Virgil is already running but this is a real tough one,” the manager added. “We will be completely over the moon when they are ready to train with us for the start of pre-season but the Euros I didn't think about it.”