Liverpool Transfer News: Virgil van Dijk, Bartosz Matoga, Latest Reds Rumours

Liverpool are reportedly preparing to return to Southampton once again in search of reinforcements as they are interested in signing Dutch centre-back Virgil van Dijk. 

In recent seasons, the Reds have signed a number of players from the south-coast outfit, including Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane, Nathaniel Clyne, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren.

According to former Newcastle United forward Micky Quinn on TalkSport, Van Dijk is set to be Liverpool's next Saints target as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster his leaky defence, (h/t Joe Rimmer in the Liverpool Echo).

"I believe they’re interested in Van Dijk, when the transfer window opens up," Quinn said. "They love a Southampton player, they’ll probably go back again."

Van Dijk, 25, has been one of the most consistently impressive defenders in the Premier League since his move to Southampton from Celtic in 2015, per WhoScored.com:

Meanwhile, Liverpool's back line has been their major weakness in the last few seasons.

Even in the current campaign, in which Klopp's Liverpool have been impressive going forward, the Reds remain weak at the back.

They are currently tied on points with league leaders Manchester City having netted 24 goals—no other side in the division has scored more—but their 13 goals against is the joint-worst record in the top nine.

Summer addition Joel Matip has been excellent early in the 2016-17 season, but Lovren proved again in Liverpool's 4-2 defeat of Crystal Palace on Saturday that he remains something of a liability, per the Echo's James Pearce:

The centre-back cover in Klopp's squad is not fantastic, with Ragnar Klavan as yet unproved at Anfield and Mamadou Sakho seemingly not in the German manager's plans. 

Van Dijk would be a top-class signing to bolster Liverpool's defence, and he already has the Premier League experience to turn the Reds' back line into a title-winning unit.

Given his consistent excellence, though, and the fact he is contracted at the St Mary's Stadium to 2022, Liverpool will have to offer a significant fee to tempt Southampton into selling. 

Meanwhile, per Polish outlet Akademia Wisly (via Rimmer), Wisla Krakow goalkeeper Bartosz Matoga is set to be given a trial by Liverpool later this month.

The Sun's Nick Ive previously described the stopper as a "15-year-old Polish whizkid," and he reportedly impressed Liverpool at a recent under-15 tournament where he won the award for best goalkeeper.

The Reds already have 17-year-old Polish goalkeeper Kamil Grabara on their books having beaten Manchester United and Manchester City to his signing at the beginning of 2016, per Andy Hunter in the Guardian.

Matoga will now have his chance to earn a place in the Reds' academy as Liverpool look to secure the future of their goalkeeping ranks, currently headed by No. 1 Loris Karius and back-up Simon Mignolet.