Arne Slot lauds ‘not normal’ Liverpool star as Reds eye replacement amid contract uncertainty
Arne Slot has heaped praise on Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk following the Reds’ perfect start to the Premier League campaign.
The 33-year-old has played the full 90 minutes of Liverpool’s first three league games and he has been in fine form, with the Reds yet to concede a single goal.
Van Dijk has been a vital cog in Liverpool’s squad for years and when asked about the defender in a recent interview, Slot heaped praise on him.
That’s according to Dutch winger Anco Jansen, via FC Update, who spoke to Slot about Van Dijk and learned he’s already a massive fan.
“He said about Van Dijk that he is really an incredibly good football player. He thought it was really good at position games during training,” Jansen told ESPN’s Voetbalpraat programme.
“He is now experiencing him up close and said: this boy is not normal when it comes to playing football.
“Van Dijk didn’t take much initiative at the European Championships. He walked backwards more often than forwards.
“He didn’t really make a good impression. If you see him now in Liverpool’s new season… wow!”
Van Dijk’s contract situation is still unclear
The centre-back has entered the final 12 months of his contract and admitted in July that he will ‘think carefully’ about his future. Clearly, he’s committed to the Reds this term, but whether he extends his deal remains to be seen.
Van Dijk is not the only important Liverpool star with an expiring contract, with Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the same position.
Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes has previously hinted that the Reds are working on new deals for the trio but as yet, none of them have put pen to paper on an extension.
“Contractual situations, I don’t think it would be fair for me to talk about,” Hughes told Liverpool’s official website in July.
“These are private matters between club and players,” he added.
“The only concern I have, that Arne (Slot) has, about those situations and everyone else in the squad is that there is total commitment from the players to the cause for next season – and we are absolutely convinced that is the case.”
Liverpool target centre-backs amid uncertainty
Liverpool have reportedly been keeping tabs on a number of centre-backs as they plan for future life without Van Dijk.
Even if the Dutchman pens a new deal, he’s past his peak and Liverpool could do with signing a long-term replacement regardless.
Recent reports suggest that Bayer Leverkusen star Jonathan Tah is one player who has been earmarked by the Reds as a potential target for the January window.
Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea are also interested in Tah and with the defender’s contract up next summer, he could be available for a cut-price fee this winter.
It’s thought that Leverkusen will make ‘one more attempt’ to secure his services, but it does not look as if that will be a successful one.
Tah recently stated that he will “not renew my contract” in an interview and therefore, he could be an achievable acquisition for Liverpool.
Van Dijk will be very difficult to replace
Tah, 28, played a key role in Bayer Leverkusen’s sensational 2023/24 that saw them lift the Bundesliga title without losing a single game.
Xabi Alonso’s side also lifted the DFB-Pokal and reached the Europa League final, which they lost to Atalanta.
Tah made 48 appearances across all competitions for Leverkusen last season, helping his team to keep 21 clean sheets in the process. He also showcased his ability in front of goal, netting six times.
Tah is statistically better on the ball than Van Dijk with a 94% pass success rate compared to his 91%. He also scored more goals despite having fewer shots on target.
However, Van Dijk’s number of tackles, blocks and interceptions far supersede those of Tah’s, which is clearly most important as a defender.
Liverpool youngster Jarrell Quansah’s stats when it comes to defensive actions are superior to Tah’s, so perhaps the Reds would be better off sticking with him instead of signing the Leverkusen man.
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