In a surprising revelation, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk reportedly made a determined push to join Real Madrid last summer before eventually renewing his contract at Anfield, according to a report from Diario AS.

The story resurfaced on the same day that the two European giants meet in the UEFA Champions League, adding extra intrigue to an already heated fixture.

The Spanish outlet claims that Van Dijk and his representatives “fought until the last minute” to secure a switch to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Van Dijk reached out to Real Madrid to join them

His agents are said to have reached out to intermediaries in Spain in a bid to establish direct contact with Real Madrid’s hierarchy, hoping to explore the possibility of a move.

However, the approach was met with a lukewarm response from the Madrid side, who decided against pursuing the Dutch defender and instead focused on younger alternatives.

At that time, Van Dijk had not yet committed to an extension. This uncertainty reportedly fueled speculation that the Dutchman might seek a new challenge abroad after his dominance with Liverpool in England.

Ultimately, Real Madrid opted to move in a different direction, investing in youth by signing Dean Huijsen and maintaining faith in...