Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk admits he is ‘dreading’ Jurgen Klopp’s departure, but believes potential replacement Ruben Amorim could enjoy similar levels of success. The Portuguese coach has emerged as the front-runner for the Liverpool job, with Roberto De Zerbi also mooted as a potential candidate.
Speaking to ITV News, Van Dijk – who replaced Jordan Henderson as Liverpool skipper this season – said Klopp has taken Liverpool ‘back where they belong’ at the top of English football. On the 56-year-old’s influence, he claimed: “Well, it’s pretty clear that he’s been a monumental figure for the club for so many years, the successes that we had, the impact he had on the community, the clubs around the world. If you think about Liverpool you think about Klopp… he’s brought the club back to where it belongs.”
But Van Dijk doesn’t believe Liverpool are set for a drop-off when Klopp leaves, with the Dutchman hinting Amorim – or whoever takes over – can still deliver silverware. On the Reds’ chances post-Klopp, Van Dijk said: “I think it’s also a very good place still to have success in the future – yeah, he deserves all the applause that he will get and still get.”
But, as far as the centre-back is concerned, the prospect of future success won’t take away from the emotion surrounding Klopp’s departure. The 32-year-old confessed he’s not looking forward to the day Klopp leaves for good, because he’s already an ‘emotional person’.
He continued: “I’m a very emotional person and I don’t like to say goodbyes. Being the captain now, it’s going to be horrible in the sense you probably have to speak a little bit. And like I say that day I’ll be dreading. It makes it a lot easier if we have success. So that’s the aim at the moment.
“But it’s difficult and it’s not only the boss who is leaving, it’s going to be a lot of changes and more staff leaving, but it will be a tough day, but until the day that we’ll fight and be positive and put all our focus into that to be positive, and put all of our focus and effort in that and make the season successful.”
Van Dijk arrived at Liverpool in January 2018, with the Merseyside outfit splashing an at-the-time world record fee for a defender to sign him. The £75million man has featured over 250 times for the club, winning eight major honours so far.
