Liverpool have had plenty of frustrating run-ins with Real Madrid in recent years, with the Spanish giants seemingly intent on ruining their plans at every turn.

Not satisfied with beating them in two Champions League finals in the past nine years, Los Blancos have also had Liverpool’s number in the transfer market. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate have been lured from Anfield to the Bernabeu, while the likes of Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and Dean Huijsen have preferred to join Madrid over the Reds.

Liverpool should leave Luka Vuskovic for Real Madrid

Clearly, most players on the planet would love the chance to join Real Madrid. That likely includes plenty of current Liverpool players who may be at risk of leaving for the Spanish capital at some point in the future.

Nevertheless, the Reds should not actively be looking to sign players who are publicly flirting with Real before they have even moved to Anfield.

After a transfer update from journalist Florian Plettenberg on Thursday, that is the category Vuskovic now falls into.

The 19-year-old has been one of the stars of the Premier League season so far, having shone after moving from Tottenham to Brighton in the summer. He already looks destined for greatness, and, according to Plettenberg, Liverpool have noticed.

“Liverpool have Luka Vuskovic on their shortlist for next summer. The 19 y/o top defender is being monitored regularly,” said the German reporter.

“His contract at Brighton is valid until 2031. No release clause will be available next summer. Current price valuation: around €100m.”

Although Liverpool already have Jeremy Jacquet, Giovanni Leoni and Ifeanyi Ndukwe for their next generation of centre-backs, they have to plan for a future without Virgil van Dijk, and Vuskovic is clearly a player who has the potential to play a part in that. As a result, the interest should come as good news.

Nevertheless, it is the final line of Plettenberg’s post which should mean Liverpool do not go anywhere near Vuskovic now, or at any point before he inevitably moves to Madrid.

“Vuskovic is very happy under Fabian Hurzeler. However, his dream is to join Real Madrid one day,” he said. We have been down this road before, and Liverpool should not be doing it again. The Reds need a player fully committed to them in the long run, not one who will push for the Bernabeu whenever the chance rolls around.

Who can Liverpool sign instead?

Whether Liverpool do sign a new centre-back this summer depends largely on whether Van Dijk ends up staying and how Leoni responds upon his return from injury.

The latest news suggests that there will be no rush on a decision regarding Van Dijk, which indicates that Liverpool will have a plan regardless of whether their captain stays.

Talent-wise, Vuskovic is probably the best option they could go for next summer, but there are other defenders out there worth considering. One of them is Leeds United’s Tarik Muharemovic, who, like Vuskovic, has started the season in fine form.

Muharemovic has admitted he is desperate to play at Anfield, which is much more promising than Vuskovic’s reported dreams of joining Madrid.

If Van Dijk stays, though Liverpool really could do much worse than simply triggering the buy option in Ronald Araujo’s transfer from Barcelona. Jacquet and Leoni have the potential to be an elite partnership, while Ndukwe looks like a huge talent as well.

Having Van Dijk to guide them for a year or two more would be a good position to be in, with Araujo coming in as an experienced, proven alternative who can also play at full-back.

Vuskovic is ‘exceptional‘, and adding him would mean Liverpool really are set for a long time into the future. But, in reality, how many of the world’s top young centre-backs do the Reds need? Bringing in the Croat may be part of the plan for now, but the prospect of losing him to Madrid before his peak should be enough for Julian Ward and co to change their approach.