With Virgil van Dijk’s contract running to 2027 and no extension yet public, Liverpool have reportedly placed Everton’s left-sided centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite on their succession list, but Everton view him as untouchable.
Liverpool have identified 24-year-old Jarrad Branthwaite as a left-sided centre-back candidate to succeed Virgil van Dijk.
Everton have a long-term contract with Branthwaite through 2030 and consider him a key player, making a transfer difficult.
Liverpool are doing scouting and background checks, and Branthwaite’s calmness and Premier League experience are cited as strengths.
Liverpool are reportedly assessing options to replace Virgil van Dijk longer term and have put Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite on their radar. Sources cited in the report say the Reds are particularly interested in left-sided centre-backs and see Branthwaite as someone who fits several requirements.
Branthwaite is a 24-year-old England international and a left-sided central defender. He has had injury setbacks in recent seasons but started the current campaign strongly. His early-season form earned him a recall to England under Thomas Tuchel. Teammate James Tarkowski has described him as "composed," a trait Liverpool reportedly like.
The club is planning for life after Virgil van Dijk, whose contract runs to 2027 and for whom no public extension has been announced. Liverpool's reported interest in Branthwaite is driven by his combination of physical presence, Premier League experience, and temperament on the ball. The club has reportedly sent scouts to monitor matches and carried out off-field background checks to assess character.
Everton see Branthwaite as a crucial member of their squad. The club gave him a new long-term contract that runs to 2030 after David Moyes returned as manager, and retaining him was made a priority. That contract puts Everton in a strong negotiating position—they have no immediate need to sell and can demand a substantial fee if a bid arrives.
Several concrete obstacles make a transfer complicated:
Liverpool are reportedly doing groundwork now—tracking performances, scouting in person, and checking off-field factors—to prepare for a possible future bid. The club appears to be building a list of left-sided centre-back options rather than advancing an immediate transfer. Any realistic path to signing Branthwaite would require overcoming Everton's contract leverage and their resistance to selling to a direct rival.
Branthwaite is on Liverpool's succession list because of his profile: age, Premier League experience, left-sided centre-back ability, and temperament. Everton's long-term contract and clear intent to keep him make an immediate move unlikely, but Liverpool's monitoring suggests they are preparing for different long-term scenarios around the centre-back position as Van Dijk's contract approaches its final year.
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