According to Liverpool Echo, Liverpool legend John Aldridge stated in his weekly column that Van Dijk may depart after this season, and Liverpool should re-sign Quansah.

Van Dijk's contract expires at the end of the season. We need his experience, but it seems this could be his final season at Liverpool.

Aldridge stated that everything appears to be working well when Van Dijk is paired with Quansah. Quansah is more agile than Konaté and seems better suited to playing alongside Van Dijk.

Meanwhile, Araujo adds stability to the defense. He may be somewhat limited in attack, but defensively, his experience will be crucial against Manchester City.

Aldridge said, "To get the best result against Manchester City, we must keep a clean sheet, especially considering how many attacking options we have. Hopefully they prove me wrong. But those three defenders work very well together."

There is still a long way to go this season. Araujo has made a very good start, and his experience shows. Hopefully he stays injury-free throughout the season. At that point, the £47 million purchase option will become worthwhile.

Aldridge said, "But you know what I would do? I would seriously consider bringing Quansah back. His buyback option is £56 million, and for me, that's a no-brainer."

He added, "Next season, if Van Dijk leaves, we could have Araujo, Quansah, Gomez, and Leone, which would be four very good options."

Slot was not impressed with Quansah after the opening match of this season against Ipswich. It was clear he didn't use Quansah much then and didn't trust him, but Quansah has proven Slot wrong.

Quansah went to Bayer Leverkusen and performed brilliantly. He's also played well for England. Aldridge believes Liverpool needs four genuinely top-class center-backs.

Giovanni Gomez is recovering from a serious injury. Aldridge said, "We haven't seen much of him yet, but he looks good, very good—early signs are promising."

Aldridge stated, "Bringing Quansah back next year is an easy decision. As long as he wants to return. He's from Warrington. I hope he's also a Liverpudlian. If he is, there's no reason not to bring him back."

Liverpool has a buyback option. If they want Quansah, they need to bring him back. This will make Liverpool's center-back position very strong next season.

This would happen even if Van Dijk leaves after years of service to Liverpool. Since Joel Matip departed, there have been questions about this position. Aldridge stated he was never really a fan of Konaté.

However, he believes Liverpool's defense is now gradually showing positive signs, and bringing Quansah back would be a smart move.

If Van Dijk leaves, Liverpool will also need to consider the next captain. Szoboszlai is clearly a candidate, but Araujo could also be an option. Araujo was Barcelona's captain and, despite only recently arriving at Liverpool, he's very experienced.

Wirtz needs to improve his game, especially following injuries to the attacking players.

Aldridge said this international break has been mixed for Slot. From reports, some Liverpool players appear to have performed quite well.

Many of them scored goals. Van Dijk completed his 100th international appearance, while Wirtz wore the Germany captain's armband. However, looking ahead to the Manchester City match, from Liverpool's perspective, the main concern remains injuries.

Aldridge stated, "We can only hope Gakpo or Isak are fit to lead the front line. Because if they're not, we could be in big trouble."

He said Manchester City are in good form, and this match will be very difficult, especially if Liverpool are without Gakpo or Isak.

Aldridge said, "The only thing that could help us is our home atmosphere. I think the atmosphere will be fantastic. I believe the fans will turn up, and we hope to maintain our unbeaten record."

"But if either of them isn't in the front line, to be honest, we'll struggle a bit. If it comes to that point, we have to see what Slot decides to do."

Aldridge said, "We all like young Louie Koumas and what he can offer. But a match at this level will be very difficult for a young player like that."

He also mentioned that Liverpool could deploy Wirtz in attack. Liverpool have previously played Manchester City without a striker, and that match went well.

Aldridge believes Wirtz's performance during this international break was quite good, but the issue isn't just form; he also needs to handle the situation and pressure. The media have focused on Wirtz, and he's putting pressure on himself.

Aldridge said, "He's a very good player. We need him now, we really need him to push the team where it should be, to compete with Arsenal and other teams that ultimately finish ahead."

He believes that the fact Liverpool need to discuss attacking options shows the squad's current situation—the squad lacks depth.

Aldridge said, "Honestly, we're a bit unlucky. Ekitike, Gakpo, and Isak could all be absent. I don't know whether Muñoz, Wirtz, Ngoumou, or Barcola could play in that position."

"It's hard to say. Hopefully Isak's absence is just precautionary because he felt a bit of discomfort in his thigh, and he'll be fine after that. We can only hope so."

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