Without Jurgen Klopp, Virgil Van Dijk acknowledged that Liverpool’s future is uncertain and he did not know if he would be a part of it.
Along with top scorer Mohamed Salah and vice captain Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Liverpool captain’s contract expires in 2025. He believes the team faces a difficult challenge in finding a replacement for Klopp, who declared he will step down in the summer.
While sporting director Jorg Schmadtke has already left, assistant managers Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz as well as elite development coach Vitor Matos will also depart with Klopp, adding to the rebuilding effort and making Van Dijk eager to see what choices Liverpool makes.
When asked if he would be a part of Anfield’s next chapter, Van Dijk said, “That’s a big question.” Well, I’m not sure.
The center back’s current contract is expiring in 18 months. He said, “That’s right; good maths.” “Listen, I’m not sure. The club will have a challenging task ahead of them. That is widely recognized.
“There will be numerous changes, with the manager having to be replaced in addition to the personnel departing. The club has a significant task ahead of it, and I’m interested to see where it will go. However, we will find out when it is revealed, so I can’t comment right now.
When Klopp acquired Van Dijk from Southampton in 2018, it set a club record. The German then appointed him captain after Jordan Henderson left last summer.
There will be more changes soon, he continued, saying that it will undoubtedly be the end of Jurgen Klopp’s tenure. That I am still a part of it makes me very happy. I don’t like to talk about it because of this. I still participate in it. Right now, it is my primary emphasis; at season’s end, we’ll see.
“Hopefully, we achieve the success for which we all strive every day. By then, the club’s goals for the future will most likely have become clearer, and we will see.
Van Dijk encouraged Liverpool to stay focused, acknowledging that the players would be feeling different things in response to the news.
It doesn’t currently, but obviously things will change at the end of the current season and in the next one,” he continued.
Since we are all human, we all have emotions. Everyone thinks differently, so it’s understandable that certain players react differently to the manager’s news than others. However, I didn’t see any standards or professionalism being compromised.