It has been a very long nine months for Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool.
The big Dutchman hasn’t kicked a ball for the Reds since October of last year following a season-ending injury in a hostile game at Everton.
In his absence, Liverpool, who lost Joe Gomez a week later, struggled in a major way and despite starting last season as Premier League champions, Jurgen Klopp’s side wound up scrapping for a top-four finish and only secured it on the final day of the campaign.
Next season could – and should – be a lot better for the Anfield club, as they get Van Dijk and Gomez back to full fitness.
And Pep Lijnders, Klopp’s assistant at Liverpool, claims the Netherlands international is already looking back to his best during the Austrian training camp this week.
He said to The Echo: “Well, Joel, Virgil and Joe look really good and they are adjusting well to the team training. It’s just great that they are back in.
“Just now, I was walking off the pitch after this morning’s session thinking the quality and speed of passes were outstanding. Virgil found Milner one time with a ‘surprise’ pass through the centre in behind… we stopped the exercise there! Always ending on a high! Haha, I love it!”
Exciting
This is very exciting, it has to be said.
Remember, Liverpool cruised to a Premier League title 12 months ago and although that doesn’t mean the same will happen next term, once Gomez and Van Dijk return, it does suggest a potential backlash from Klopp’s troops between August and May.
And the fact that Van Dijk, according to Lijnders, is looking like his old, pin-point self behind the scene can only be a huge piece of good news.
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