Liverpool could find a perfect partner for Virgil van Dijk in Lille starlet Sven Botman.

Michael Edwards masterclass

Since Jurgen Klopp's arrival as manager at Anfield, the recruitment on the red half of Merseyside has been nigh-on perfect. The Reds' big-money signings have all paid off, and their cheaper investments have also bore fruit, leading to a Champions League and Premier League title in the last two seasons.

Van Dijk has been the Reds' undisputed number one centre-back, and Klopp has somewhat struggled to settle on his prefered partner for the Dutchman, with Joel Matip and Joe Gomez still not yet nailing down a place.

Now, Foot Mercato claim that Liverpool have been in touch with Botman's agent, as they eye up a potential move for the 20-year-old. If they can pull it off, it would be the latest Michael Edwards masterclass.

Imagine him and Van Dijk

Standing at 6 foot 4, Botman is a physically imposing defender, much like his Dutch compatriot Van Dijk. Described as someone who is emerging as a "leader" by his boss at Lille, the centre-back has produced some superb performances this season for the French side.

He was particularly superb in a 3-0 win over Serie A giants Milan, who boasted Zlatan Ibrahimovic as their starting striker on the night. And Botman absolutely bullied the Swedish legend.

He earned rave reviews from the media for his performance, and when you look at the stats, it's no surprise why. As per Sofascore, he made two interceptions, blocked one shot and made three clearances, whilst Ibrahimovic could manage just 14 passes in the entire game and was promptly hooked after an hour.

Getting Botman to line up alongside Van Dijk could give Liverpool the foundations of the most dominant central defensive partnership in the Premier League, and one Klopp would surely love.