Virgil van Dijk's Representatives Shrugged Off Audacious Barcelona Approach

Virgil van Dijk's representatives rebuffed an audacious recent approach from Barcelona to sign the Liverpool captain, according to a report.

The Dutchman skippered the Reds side that staged a remarkable comeback against the Catalan giants in the Champions League semi-final in May, recovering from a three-goal deficit from the first leg to win 4-3 on aggregate - with Liverpool going on to beat Tottenham in the final in Madrid.

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Van Dijk was outstanding in the heart of Liverpool's defence during the second leg, with the Mirror's John Cross claiming that Barça subsequently enquired about a future move - but were given short shrift by his representatives.

The news does not come as much of a shock, considering the 28-year-old is among the favourites to win the 2019 Ballon d'Or - with his club exploits at Liverpool backed by some impressive performances for Netherlands en-route to securing a place in the inaugural UEFA Nations League final.

Since arriving at Anfield in 2018 for £75m, a record fee for a defender, van Dijk has been in sensational form for the Reds - helping to transform Jurgen Klopp's side into a major European force with stoic leadership and consistent high-quality displays.

For Barcelona, this apparent rejection coincides with another recent defensive target disappointment - with young Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt poised to turn down Catalonia to become a Juventus player in the coming days.

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As a result, Barcelona may now turn their attention to Manchester United's Victor Lindelöf as they attempt to shore up a defence that came in for significant criticism last season. 

Although United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is reportedly keen to keep the Swedish international at Old Trafford, the lure of playing for the La Liga champions may interest Lindelöf as United undergo a major rebuilding project.