Garth Crooks’ BBC Team of the Week column always brings up something for fans of all sides to mull over.
And today his Team of the Season is doing just that. The pundit has gone for Ederson; Trent, Robbo, van Dijk, Rudiger; Fernandinho, Silva, Hazard; Mane, Sterling, Aguero.
While there’s a few things we’d perhaps question here (why Ederson over Alisson; and where’s Mo Salah?), it’s Crooks’ comments on van Dijk that surprise us most!
Comically, Crooks reckons van Dijk could leave Liverpool if we don’t beat Spurs in the Champions League Final.
“What the Dutch international has brought to Liverpool’s defence is almost unquantifiable,” he said. “I do feel however, that if Liverpool fail to win the Champions League, and that is by no means certain, it may hasten Van Dijk’s departure. Players of his class need to be playing for the best team in the world.”
For starters, van Dijk cost us £75m and has undeniably been the best central defender on the planet.
So what kind of potential asking price would Liverpool hypothetically slap on his head? £150m? £200m? Far too much for any side to spend on a 27-year-old defender, anyway – not that we’d even consider it in the first place.
Secondly, why would van Dijk want to leave – and to whom? Liverpool are one of the world’s very best teams. Better than Bayern Munich and Barcelona, as we’ve proven in Europe – and perhaps second to only Manchester City.
He’s not going to join Pep Guardiola’s side, so where is left?
Can you see van Dijk at PSG? Juventus? Don’t be so ridiculous, Garth. He’s staying at Anfield for life!