Phil Thompson is fearful of the prospect of one Liverpool stalwart leaving Anfield this summer.
Virgil van Dijk sent a shiver down the spines of Reds supporters when, in the immediate aftermath of Netherlands’ Euro 2024 semi-final defeat to England, he said he would ‘think carefully’ about his future at club and international level (The Athletic).
LFC’s 1981 European Cup-winning captain appeared on talkSPORT alongside Jeff Stelling (16 July, 9:30) when he was asked if he’s worried about the prospect of his former side needing to replace the Dutchman.
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Thompson replied: “Absolutely. He had a fantastic season last year. The season before, he had a big struggle, but he had been coming back from his injury. Last season, he embraced the captaincy. He enjoyed that responsibility and I think that made him a better player last year.
“I thought he did alright with the national team at the Euros. You [Stelling] do have a hang on Liverpool players. You’re trying to get Virgil out of the door, for goodness sake. Virgil has done very, very well.
“I’m hoping he will stay there. It’s the not knowing. He’s a compatriot of Arne Slot, so hopefully that will help Virgil make up his mind.”
It’s understandable that Thompson and many Liverpool fans may be anxious about the futures of Van Dijk, Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, each of whom are now into the final year of their respective contracts at Anfield.
However, Fabrizio Romano has done his best to assuage Reds’ nerves about the Dutchman on Friday morning by emphasising that ‘the situation is quiet’ while the 32-year-old is on holidays after Euro 2024, and that the club have had no offers for their captain as of yet.
Once our number 4 returns to Merseyside after his break, hopefully Richard Hughes will sit down with him and discuss a possible new deal so that the defender’s immediate future will be boxed off.
The time will eventually come when Liverpool need to part ways with Van Dijk, but as Thompson outlined, the centre-back’s strong performances last term indicate that he’s still an indispensable part of the starting XI, and Slot will no doubt be leaning heavily on the skipper during their first season together at Anfield.
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