Former Liverpool player John Barnes has claimed that Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has encouraged Ajax’s Jurrien Timber to choose Liverpool over Manchester United if he decides to move to the Premier League. Timber, who is 21 years old, has been linked to several Premier League teams after his impressive performances with Ajax in the Eredivisie. Last year, he rejected an offer to join Manchester United.

Both Manchester United and Liverpool were interested in signing Cody Gakpo earlier this year, but Liverpool won the race to sign the forward. Van Dijk was credited with playing a crucial role in securing Gakpo’s transfer, and Barnes believes that Van Dijk could do the same with Timber.

Barnes said, “Of course, I know that he played together with Van Dijk in the Dutch national team and according to the latest rumours Van Dijk has told him that he has to go to Anfield. He is a good player and would therefore be a good asset to Liverpool. Virgil is already over 30 and he will not stay with the club forever. So in the long term, it’s not just about coming to the Reds to form a duo with Van Dijk.”

Liverpool is interested in signing Timber, and if they do, it will be a competition between Jurgen Klopp and Manchester United’s former coach, Erik ten Hag. Timber previously revealed that he struck an agreement with Ajax last year that would allow him to leave the club this summer if a suitable proposal was tabled for his services.

“A transfer is getting closer and closer, so to speak. There is a lot of concrete interest and I have made agreements with Ajax,” Timber told Dutch outlet De Telegraaf earlier this month.

“Last year Ajax asked me to stay for at least one more season and to extend my contract. As a club boy, I did that with love and after the season, we will review the situation.”