Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk reveals he has spoken to the new head coach Arne Slot while expressing his commitment
Virgil van Dijk said that he has spoken to the new head coach Arne Slot and reiterated his Liverpool commitment. The Reds captain has only one year remaining in his current contract but he expressed his enthusiasm for the club.
Apart from Van Dijk, Liverpool needs to address the contract situation involving vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold and legendary forward Mohamed Salah. The trio played a pivotal role under legendary manager Jurgen Klopp during his successful tenure that brought many major trophies.
Van Dijk turns 33 years old in July but remains important at the Red’s backline and within the locker room. The Liverpool captain is also the captain of his national team and he will participate in the upcoming Euro 24.
Speaking ahead of the training camp with the Netherlands national team (via ESPN), Van Dijk revealed his conversation with Slot. He said:
“I still have a year left on my contract. I am club captain and I have made it clear I am there for the new coach and enthusiastic over the next season. Obviously, there will be a lot of changes but I am confident we will make a big success of it. I congratulated him [Slot] of course and I’m really pleased for him and his family. We spoke about the team and the future, but now my focus is fully on the national team.”
Liverpool have a big transfer window ahead, needing to secure the future of their important senior players like Van Dijk. Furthermore, they have to bolster their defence and find a suitable player who can compete and eventually replace the Dutchman.
Van Dijk is nearing the end of the prime years of his career but he delivered consistent performances last season. However, Liverpool leaked cheap goals throughout the last season, a problem for Slot to address next season.
Slot comes with a strong reputation in the Netherlands but lacks that fame outside of his native country. Many Liverpool fans are unaware of the Dutch manager but they trust the hierarchy at Liverpool supervised by Michael Edwards.
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Slot has a daunting task at hand, succeeding a legendary and beloved manager in Klopp but the senior players can help him adjust quickly. The 45-year-old is inheriting a fantastic squad with Van Dijk currently stationed as the leader of the locker room.
