Liverpool legend might move to Saudi, weighing options. #liverpooltv #liverpoolfc #football #vandijk
Virgil Van Dijk has stated that he will spend the remainder of the summer contemplating his future both at club and international levels. The Liverpool defender, who has only one year remaining on his contract with Anfield and is 33 years old, might consider ending his international career following Holland’s elimination from Euro 2024 by England. There are rumors in the Netherlands suggesting that Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq may be interested in Van Dijk, and the prospect of earning a substantial amount in the Saudi Pro League could be enticing.
Losing such a distinguished centre-back would be a significant setback for Liverpool’s new manager, Arne Slot. However, Van Dijk mentioned: “This summer will be a period of reflection, carefully considering what I want at both the club and national levels. Then, we will reassess and move forward. For now, I need to recover first. It has been a very long season with a lot of emotional investment, which is normal for me. That doesn’t change the fact that it has been quite tough.”
Van Dijk maintains a close friendship with former Liverpool teammate Gini Wijnaldum, who joined Al-Ettifaq last year. Having won every major honor with Liverpool after his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2017, Van Dijk has been capped 75 times for Holland. He missed the 2022 World Cup due to injury, making this his first major tournament.
Dutch manager Ronald Koeman hopes that Van Dijk will lead the team to the next World Cup in two years and that his current reflections are simply due to the disappointment of Holland’s narrow semi-final defeat, with Ollie Watkins scoring a last-minute winner.
Regardless of his decision, Van Dijk is optimistic about the Dutch team’s future. He added: “I am very confident about the future. In my eyes, it’s a great team with an excellent coach. We need to maintain faith and look positively towards the future. For now, everyone is allowed to grieve and be disappointed. Conceding a goal in the final seconds is disheartening. The dominant feeling is disappointment, and seeing your dream crumble is very emotional. The Champions League final I once lost was also very tough. I invested all my energy into winning, and it became emotional when the tournament ended.”
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