Former Premier League star Garth Crooks has speculated that Barcelona and Real Madrid must surely be preparing bids for Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk in the summer.

Jurgen Klopp’s men continued their push for the Premier League title with a 3-1 comeback win over Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium on Friday night.




The Reds have been in terrific form since the start of the season and boast of the strongest defence in the division after conceding just 20 goals so far this term.

Liverpool have relied heavily on the quality of Van Dijk in defence during their bid to try and usurp defending champions Manchester City from the Premier League throne by the end of the season.
 


And in the wake of Van Dijk’s consistent performances in a Liverpool shirt, Crooks has speculated that both Barcelona and Real Madrid must be preparing bids for the defender in the summer.

The former Spurs star believes the Spanish giants must already be estimating the value of Van Dijk and feels an audacious bid is bound to come in sooner or later, if it has not already this season.  
 

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“Real Madrid and Barcelona must be in frantic talks with their banks about how much it might cost to buy Virgil van Dijk”, Crooks wrote in his column for the BBC.

“An audacious bid is bound to happen sooner or later – if it hasn't already.”

Liverpool will next face FC Porto in the Champions League quarter-final first leg clash at Anfield on Tuesday.