Virgil van Dijk has dropped another exciting hint about Liverpool’s plans for the summer transfer window as the Reds get ready to celebrate winning the Premier League. Arne Slot’s side will be crowned champions with a point against Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday afternoon despite the fact the manager has barely changed the squad he inherited from Jurgen Klopp a year ago.
Liverpool have blown their rivals away with Arsenal 13 points back from the Merseyside outfit. And attention is already beginning to turn as to what Slot will do with his squad in the summer, with some big changes anticipated. Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have signed new contracts but Trent Alexander-Arnold could leave on a free while Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz are other possible big-name departures.
Speaking after signing a new contract at the club earlier this month, Van Dijk said: “Whatever happens in terms of players going out, players coming in, I think it should be a big summer. I think they’re planning to make it a big summer, so we all have to trust the board to do the right job. I think we 100 per cent can improve.”
And now, the Dutchman, 33, has reiterated that Liverpool’s powerbrokers have big plans as Slot seeks to reshape the squad in his image. Van Dijk said: “In my opinion, the story is not yet finished. The club is very ambitious, the plans for this summer sound good. There is still a lot to achieve here.
“Whatever is going to happen with players coming or leaving, I think this is going to be a very important summer for the club. I am convinced that the club management see it that way too – and we have to trust that they are going to do that in a good way. So that we can also play for prizes in the coming years.
“Arne is doing a great job. Klopp was – and is – a legend at this club, but the new coach has added some new touches in his own way, without immediately turning everything upside down. Next summer will actually be the first transfer window in which Arne can really make his own choices. That combination of things makes me really confident about the next two years.”
Van Dijk will become the first man from the Netherlands to lift the Premier League trophy as a captain next month. He will lift the trophy on May 25 after Liverpool face Crystal Palace at Anfield. And he dreams of more silverware beyond that too.
He continued: “As they say here ‘you don’t take that for granted.’ I get to be part of the history of this club – and I hope to enjoy that every day.
“It’s just a wonderful feeling to be able to be important. I have never made a secret of how immensely proud I am to be captain of Liverpool, how I consider that a privilege every day.”
