Who REPLACES Van Dijk?! Liverpool Face A HUGE Defensive Decision

Liverpool's new-look defence is beginning to impress – but one enormous question remains: what happens when Virgil van Dijk is no longer there?

On Late Night Live, Craig takes a closer look at Liverpool's long-term centre-back situation following the impressive emergence of Jeremy Jacquet and with Giovanni Leoni also regarded as a major part of the club's future.

Craig believes Liverpool could have two outstanding young defenders capable of becoming mainstays for years, but warns that replacing Van Dijk isn't simply about finding another talented centre-back. If the captain leaves, Liverpool could lose a huge amount of experience, leadership and know-how, particularly for the biggest Premier League and European occasions.

That brings Ronald Araujo into the conversation. While Craig would be happy to see Liverpool make his move permanent in the right circumstances, he questions whether Araujo should actually be viewed as the direct answer to replacing Van Dijk. Instead, Liverpool may still need another senior centre-back – unless the solution is convincing Virgil to stay for another couple of years and help guide Jacquet and Leoni through the transition.

There's also discussion around Liverpool continuing to back Florian Wirtz, the preparations for Manchester City after the international break, and the wider question of how Liverpool manage the transition from one generation to the next.
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