Liverpool’s defensive stalwart Virgil van Dijk has emphatically ruled out a swansong in the Eredivisie, declaring his days of playing club football in the Netherlands are firmly behind him.
The Dutch international, who last featured in his home country for Groningen before making a name for himself at Celtic and subsequently becoming one of the most reliable centre-backs on the globe with Liverpool, has no intention of returning to his roots.
Van Dijk, now captaining the Netherlands, is set to lead his team in a World Cup qualifier against Malta at the Euroborg Stadion, returning to familiar territory since his outing against Finland.
However, when quizzed about a potential comeback to Groningen or any other Dutch club, the 33 year old was unequivocal, stating: “I am very clear about that. I am not coming back to the Netherlands.”
He further emphasised his point by adding, “I started here, so it was very important to me. But I am clear that I will not return to the Netherlands.”
Seeking further clarification on his stance, Van Dijk succinctly put it: “I am quite proud of my career so far and I think that finishing in the Eredivisie is not on top of that.”
Having committed to Liverpool with a two-year contract extension this past April, Van Dijk is set to remain at Anfield until he turns 35.
Liverpool’s defensive stalwart Virgil van Dijk snubbed a big-money offer from Saudi Arabia to stay at the pinnacle of European football as his Liverpool deal neared its end.
The seasoned former Southampton ace remained an iron man for Liverpool, clocking up every single minute on the pitch in the Premier League until their title triumph was sealed, bar a solitary absence in a 3-2 defeat to Brighton.
On the international stage, Van Dijk proved instrumental once more, putting in a solid 90-minute performance to help the Netherlands start their World Cup qualifying journey with a 2-0 victory over Finland. He was joined by fellow Liverpool teammates Ryan Gravenberch, Jeremie Frimpong, and Cody Gakpo in the Dutch squad.
New arrival at Liverpool, Frimpong, shed light on how a conversation with Van Dijk influenced his move away from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
“Virgil has called me and told me a little bit more about Liverpool and the expectations, those types of things,” shared Frimpong, who at 24 is eager to integrate into the Anfield fold.
“And made me feel like the guys are going to welcome me well. That’s what I expect from Virgil with how he is in the national team – he’s a big character, captain.”