Virgil van Dijk is in contention to return to action for Liverpool against Hertha BSC on Thursday evening.
The Dutchman has been a colossus at the back for the Reds since joining from Southampton in January 2018.
Since his arrival at Anfield, Liverpool have won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and their first League Championship for 30 years.
Many in the game view the defender as the best in the world due to his commanding displays for both club and country.
But the centre-back has been sidelined since suffering an ACL injury in the Merseyside derby last October following a challenge by Jordan Pickford.
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As a result of surgery, Van Dijk was also forced to miss out on Euro 2020 this summer as he continued his rehabilitation with the Reds.
However, having been included in Liverpool’s travelling party for their pre-season training camp in Austria, Jurgen Klopp confirmed earlier this week a return to action is imminent.
But away from the Reds’ training camp in Austria, things have been heating up in the transfer market back home.
Having already secured the services of Jadon Sancho, Manchester United appear to be closing in on a deal for Raphael Varane.
The ECHO’s sister paper, the Manchester Evening News, is reporting that United are understood to have almost reached an agreement on the transfer with Real Madrid.
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United and Madrid settled on a reported £43m fee on Monday morning and all that remains is for Varane to undergo a medical and sign paperwork.
It is claimed that United will pay £34.2 million up front, plus £8.6 million in add-ons, for the France international.
The move is the latest in which a centre-back has been signed by one of the Reds’ Premier League rivals since Van Dijk joined the club.
Since the 30-year-old joined the Reds, Chelsea, Manchester City and United have all attempted to improve their backlines with differing results.
All three have also made moves in a bid to emulate the impact Van Dijk has had on his side since his arrival.
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Granted Liverpool forked out a huge £75m for the former Celtic man, but what he has helped his side win since his arrival is simply priceless.
In that time many of Liverpool’s rivals, particularly United, have been forced to watch on in envy.
United were the first to act in a bid to bounce back when they secured the services of Harry Kane from Leicester City.
The Old Trafford club even went one step further than their North West rivals by forking out a world record £80m fee for the defender.
And while Maguire was one of his side’s best performers last season, and impressed for England during Euro 2020, he’s yet to get his hands on a trophy with United.
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Chelsea were next to strengthen their backline when they signed Thiago Silva from Paris Saint-German last summer.
Although the experienced and highly-regarded Brazilian arrived at Stamford Bridge on a free transfer, his weekly wage is believed to make him not only one of the highest earners at Chelsea, but in the Premier League.
And having watched on as Van Dijk helped Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2019, and the Premier League title a year later, City finally made their move.
The Etihad club completed the signing of Ruben Dias from Benfica for a fee of £65m, with Nicolas Otamendi moving in the opposite direction.
Such was the impact Dias had at City, comparisons were repeatedly made between him and Van Dijk throughout the second half of the campaign last year.
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Many in football believe that the Portuguese international had a similar impact on his new teammates to that of Van Dijk when he moved to Anfield.
And after helping City to a League Cup and Premier League double, his impressive performances saw him rewarded at the end of the season.
He was crowned City’s Player of the Year and the Football Writers Association Footballer of the Year, as well as securing a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
But he still couldn’t help City claim their first Champions League crown after they were beaten by Chelsea in the final in Porto.
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There is no doubt that the signing of Silva strengthened Chelsea, while Dias cemented himself as one of the best centre-backs in the world with his displays last season.
While one imagines United will also improve at the back this season should Maguire and Varane line up alongside each other.
Not to be out done, though, Klopp even added another centre-back to his ranks earlier this summer when he secured the services of Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig after agreeing to pay his £36m release clause.
But as United prepare to welcome Varane to the club, it can’t be forgotten that Klopp and Liverpool opened the eyes of the world to the importance of top quality centre-backs.
But for his and Liverpool’s sake, he will no doubt be hoping that the trend he started now doesn’t come back to haunt him.
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