Liverpool have confirmed that Virgil van Dijk will be assessed after withdrawing from the Netherlands squad on ‘medical grounds’
Liverpool have confirmed that Virgil van Dijk will be assessed when he reports back to the AXA Training Centre after withdrawing from the Netherlands squad on ‘medical grounds’. The 33-year-old, who is out of contract at Anfield next summer, captained the Dutch to a 4-0 victory over Hungary on Saturday.
But while he completed the full 90 minutes, manager Ronald Koeman confirmed that he will not be part of the travelling squad for Netherlands’ final UEFA Nations League clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In a quote carried by Netherlands’ official social media accounts, Koeman said: “For both Frenkie and Virgil it is better for them to leave the training camp at this moment.
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“That decision was taken on medical grounds, with of course the interest of the players coming first.”
With Netherlands already guaranteed a place in next year’s Nations League quarter-finals, it made little sense for them to risk the fitness of Van Dijk.
But Liverpool have now acknowledged their captain’s early release from international duty in a statement on the Reds’ club website, confirming the centre-back will be assessed ahead of their trip to Southampton on Sunday.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk will not be involved in the Netherlands’ second fixture of this international window on Tuesday night,” it read. “The centre-back has departed the Dutch camp ahead of their UEFA Nations League tie at Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was announced this morning.
“Van Dijk skippered his country to a 4-0 victory over Hungary in Amsterdam on Saturday evening that confirmed their qualification to the Nations League quarter-finals before the next match.
“He will return to the AXA Training Centre this week for assessment ahead of the Reds’ campaign resuming with a trip to Southampton on Sunday.”
Van Dijk has made 15 appearances for Liverpool so far this season, completing every minute of their Premier League and Champions League matches. But it remains to be seen if he will be fit enough to maintain such a run against his former club at St. Mary’s.
The Dutchman isn’t the only player the Reds will be assessing this week, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also an injury doubt after limping off with a hamstring injury in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa.
Harvey Elliott returned to training with the Under-21s last week after two months out with a fractured foot, while both Federico Chiesa and Alisson Becker had previously been tipped to return after the November international break. Meanwhile, Diogo Jota isn’t expected to make an injury comeback until December.
Arne Slot will offer an injury update on Van Dijk and the rest of Liverpool’s walking wounded at the end of this week at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the Reds’ trip to Southampton.
