Tony Cascarino has hinted that Jurgen Klopp should start to consider replacing one of Liverpool’s longer-serving stalwarts.
Virgil van Dijk has been immense for the Reds since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018, winning the PFA Player of the Year award the following year, although he’s come in for strong criticism over some defensive lapses in recent weeks and months.
In his column for The Times, the former Republic of Ireland striker appeared to suggest that it may be time for the manager to begin looking beyond the 31-year-old when it comes to the team’s centre-back partnership.
Cascarino wrote: “Virgil van Dijk, for instance, has been one of the best defenders in Europe in the past.
“Replacing him, or even signing somebody to compete for a starting spot, would be a gutsy call, because he is such a big name.”
It’s fair to say that Liverpool’s number four has probably had his most difficult season at Anfield in terms of on-field performances in 2022/23, being caught out on occasion to the team’s cost.
Also, with the £220,000-per-week defender (FBref) turning 32 over the summer, it might be no harm for Klopp to have one eye on a potential long-term successor, either from within the current squad or in terms of a possible recruit from elsewhere.
However, Van Dijk remains a hugely important contributor to the Reds, as evidenced by statistics from WhoScored for the current campaign. He’s won more headers per game (2.9) than any of his teammates and boasts the second best passing accuracy (90.3% of anyone to start a Premier League match for us.
There will come a time where Liverpool have no choice but to look at a future beyond the Dutchman, but that moment hasn’t arrived yet and probably won’t for another couple of years at least.