"Virgil van Dijk is already over 30" - John Barnes urges Liverpool to sign defender ahead of Manchester United

Liverpool legend John Barnes has urged the Reds to sign Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, who has also been linked with a move to rivals Manchester United.

Regarded as a hot prospect in the Eridivisie, Timber has been in demand for quite a while now. He recently admitted that he is possibly close to an exit from the Johan Cryuff Arena.

Timber has been strongly linked with both Manchester United and Liverpool but the Red Devils could have an advantage due to the presence of Erik ten Hag.

The Dutch manager knows Timber inside out having managed him at Ajax prior to Ten Hag's switch to Old Trafford.

The United boss reportedly wanted Timber last summer itself but could not agree a deal with Ajax and instead signed Lisandro Martinez from the Eredivisie giants.

John Barnes has, however, urged Liverpool to beat Manchester United for the signature of the 21-year-old defender.

The former England winger also insisted that Virgil van Dijk is already over 30 and the Reds need to build for the future. Barnes told Soccer News, as quoted by The Liverpool Echo:

“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."

He added:

"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 also just needs to look for a new defender for the future. And in that respect, Timber would of course be a fantastic option if we manage to capture him.”

Timber recently admitted that he is close to a move and keeps in touch with compatriots playing in foreign leagues. He said:

"A transfer is getting closer and closer, so to speak. There is a lot of concrete interest and I have made agreements with Ajax. At the Dutch national team, I often talk to boys who play football abroad. I want to take that step someday. But when that is, you will eventually hear and it will happen in consultation with Ajax."

Timber is a defender who is capable of playing either at centre-back or at right-back and even as a defensive midfielder.

The Manchester United target has already played 118 games for Ajax till date and has also been capped 15 times for the Netherlands.

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Manchester United and Liverpool target addresses future after suffering relegation from the Premier League

Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse has claimed that he is not thinking of the summer transfer window amid rumors of interest from Manchester United and Liverpool.

The English midfielder, who has spent his entire career on the books of his boyhood club, has admitted that he is devastated with the Saints' relegation.

The 28-year-old has also claimed that he wants to take his time before deciding on his future. Speaking to BBC after the match that sealed their relegation, the Southampton captain claimed it was not the right time to think about what could happen in the summer. He said:

"I'm not thinking too far ahead. We've just been relegated from the Premier League. I'm not looking beyond tomorrow. It's about sticking together and dealing with it in the right way. Over the last 10 years we have had that kind of consistency and that has wavered. It will be testing for everybody but these are the times that make you as a player and as a club, we have done it before and we will do it again."

Southampton were last promoted to the Premier League in 2011-2012 season and have been confirmed as the first side to be relegated from the English top flight this season.