Arne Slot has offered glowing praise for Liverpool captain Van Dijk, not just for his defensive brilliance, but also for his leadership of the team.
Liverpool secured a major boost this week by tying down their captain, Virgil van Dijk, to a fresh two-year contract, extending his stay until 2027.
Since joining the Reds for £75 million back in January 2018, Van Dijk has become one of the most influential signings in the club’s history.
From lifting seven major trophies to guiding the team to another potential Premier League crown this season, the Dutchman’s presence remains monumental.
But beyond matchday dominance, Slot is even more impressed with Van Dijk’s presence during training, particularly his influence on young players.
One such example is midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who has started every Premier League game this season alongside the captain. Slot highlighted how Van Dijk is pushing him to improve off the pitch, too.
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Not just defending, Van Dijk defines
“It’s almost difficult to describe. Because you know how important he is when you see him play, so that’s what we all see.”
Slot said (via DAVEOCKOP), reflecting on Van Dijk’s long-recognised talent.
But he continued to praise the skipper’s on-ball ability and passing range, singling out his calmness in possession and ability to break lines, traits not always talked about in a centre-back.
“Everybody has given him compliments over the years so many times about how good he is as a defender. I mostly watch football and look at ball possession – he’s so, so good at bringing the ball out from the back.
His diagonal passes towards Mo [Salah] are known by everyone but the amount of times he plays balls through the lines, the timing when he passes it.”
Beyond the technical quality, it’s Van Dijk’s off-the-pitch contributions that stood out most to Slot.
“And then the leader he is in and around this AXA Training Centre, that is something I haven’t worked with, a player like him in terms of leadership.”
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Mentor mode: The Dutch inspires Reds
Slot revealed how Van Dijk is playing a mentorship role, particularly with younger players like Gravenberch:
“I think Ryan [Gravenberch] is a great example for that – he [van Dijk] is constantly on him trying to make him even more of a professional than Ryan already is, but Ryan wasn’t used to playing so many games.”
As Liverpool continues their push for silverware, Van Dijk’s role stretches far beyond matchday performances.
“He’s having a big influence at this club but the main influence he has, of course, is on the weekend… But the good thing with him is he also contributes here at the AXA and hopefully he can do that in the upcoming two seasons as well.”
The new contract for Van Dijk follows Mo Salah’s extension, signalling a clear message from the Reds’ hierarchy. Slot believes keeping these senior figures is key to future success.
“It tells you that we want to keep our best players… That we are able to keep them when they are free agents tells you probably the ambitions we have for the upcoming years.”
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