Liverpool news: Florian Wirtz transfer bombshell as Virgil van Dijk successor identified

Liverpool are still looking to find their rhythm and rediscover their mojo after a rough couple of months - and they have a trip to Manchester City up next

It's been a difficult few weeks for Liverpool. Their grip on the Premier League title has slipped rapidly - especially with Arsenal racking up wins and clean sheets like nobody's business.

And being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Crystal Palace was another blow. Pinpointing exactly what's gone wrong at Liverpool isn't easy. But with summer signings underperforming, long-time stalwarts suddenly looking wobbly, and the team's once-unshakable self-belief starting to erode, there are plenty offering theories.

Last weekend offered some domestic relief for Liverpool, as they secured a much-needed win over Aston Villa - their first Premier League victory since mid-September. The result lifted them back up to third in the table and a triumph over title rivals Manchester City on Sunday could completely transform the mood on the red half of Merseyside. With that in mind, here are the latest stories from around Anfield.

READ MORE : Alexis Mac Allister's dad makes feelings clear on Real Madrid's interest in Liverpool aceREAD MORE : Trent Alexander-Arnold mural DEFACED before Liverpool vs Real Madrid clash

Van Dijk disagreement

After branding Wayne Rooney's recent criticism of Liverpool "lazy," Virgil van Dijk has found an unlikely ally in Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand.

Last week, Rooney suggested the Reds' poor form stemmed from a lack of leadership, appearing to place much of the blame on captain Van Dijk's shoulders. In response, the Dutch defender openly dismissed Rooney's remarks - a stance Ferdinand said he respected.

"I absolutely love that Virgil van Dijk, the captain of Liverpool, is coming out and saying, 'I ain't having what people are saying, I don't agree with that and I don't agree with that'. I think it's brilliant," he said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.

"This is what you want. This is what you need. You need players of character, a bit of personality. Whether you agree with him or not, it's a different conversation, but I like the fact that he's prickly and he reads it and he sees it, he hears it and he goes, 'No, I'm not having that and I want to call it out.'"

Previously, Van Dijk had described Rooney's take on things as "ridiculous." Speaking after the win over Aston Villa, he said: "I didn't hear him last year. It doesn't hurt me.

"Just to come back to this particular player, obviously a legend, a big player of the game who inspired so many, I can say only positive things, but I feel that comment is just a bit of a lazy criticism.

"It's easy to blame the older players but he knows as well as everyone else that we do it together and try to help each other to get out of this. There are so many platforms nowadays that everyone can say whatever they like and it gets blown up.

"What I have noticed, over the last couple of weeks especially, is that there is a lot of noise... Some of those takes are absolutely ridiculous."

Wirtz transfer bombshell

Florian Wirtz would likely have joined Real Madrid instead of Liverpool in the summer - if the Spanish giants had made an offer - according to Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro.

Wirtz completed a £116million move from Leverkusen to Liverpool in July, making him, at the time, the most expensive player in English football history. Earlier in the year, Manchester City appeared to be Liverpool's biggest competition for the German playmaker, but Pep Guardiola's side ultimately decided the financial package was too steep and chose not to bid.

Whether Real Madrid - managed by Wirtz's former Leverkusen boss, Xabi Alonso - were interested remains unclear, but Carro believes that if they had entered the race, it might have changed everything.

"He would definitely have gone to Madrid if Xabi had made the offer. But Xabi has less say at Madrid than he does with us," he said. "[Wirtz] is someone who wants to win the Champions League. He saw that we had won the Bundesliga title, but winning the Champions League with Bayer Leverkusen might be more difficult."

Hamann suggests transfer target

Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has urged his former club to make a move for Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck, describing the German international as an "outstanding" talent who could be the perfect solution to Liverpool's defensive issues.

The Reds' options at centre back have been stretched following Giovanni Leoni's season-ending injury, leaving Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez as the only senior defenders currently available. Hamann believes Schlotterbeck could initially partner Van Dijk before eventually succeeding him as the leader of Liverpool's backline - though Bayern Munich are also reportedly monitoring the 25-year-old.

"Bayern Munich are stepping up their interest in Nico Schlotterbeck," Hamann told ESportsBets.com. "He's been out with an injury for four or five months and only been back for four or five weeks. He's a natural leader.

"Liverpool are interested, but you don't know how long Virgil van Dijk is going to be there. The perfect situation would be to bring somebody in who maybe plays with Van Dijk for one or two years and then takes over Van Dijk's role. I think he'd be a great signing for Liverpool and a lot of other teams as well."

Schlotterbeck has delayed signing a new contract with Dortmund, opting to wait until spring to assess the club's competitiveness for major trophies. The defender recently returned from a lengthy injury layoff and has already made 132 appearances for Dortmund, as well as earning 22 caps for Germany.

Liverpool's failure to land Marc Guehi in the summer has only intensified calls for defensive reinforcements in January - and if Hamann's advice is heeded, Schlotterbeck might be next on the club's radar.

Click here to read article