Virgil van Dijk has acknowledged uncertainty about his role in the post-Jurgen Klopp era, set to commence next season.
Klopp’s unexpected announcement on Friday morning, concluding his nine-year tenure, has sent shockwaves through the football world. The 56-year-old cited running out of energy as the reason for stepping down from his role as manager.
Joining Klopp in his departure are trusted assistants Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, alongside elite development coach Vitor Matos, who are also set to leave their roles as the 2023-24 campaign concludes.
Adding to the transitional period, Sporting Director Jorg Schmadtke is expected to depart later this week as the January transfer window concludes. Klopp’s decision has raised immediate concerns about the future of the team in the title race.
There is speculation that Saudi Pro League clubs will make another attempt to sign Mohamed Salah this summer. Moreover, with Van Dijk approaching 33 in July and only 18 months left on his contract, uncertainties about his future with the team have come to the forefront.
When asked about his contract situation at Liverpool, the Netherlands international said: “That’s a big question.
“Well, I don’t know. We will speak about it at the end of the season. That is correct – good maths. Listen, I don’t know.
“The club will have a big job on their hands, that is well known. To replace the manager and replace not only the manager, the staff is leaving, and there are so many things that will change.
“So the club has a big job on its hands and I am very curious which direction that will go in. But when that will be announced we will see our situation, I can’t say now.”
Van Dijk, meanwhile, insists that the primary focus is on the current season, aiming to conclude the Klopp era with a triumphant and memorable finale.
“Obviously it will be the end of Jurgen Klopp’s era. I am very glad that I am still part of it,” he said.
“That is why I don’t like to speak about it. I am still part of it. That is my main focus now and we will see at the end of the season hopefully we have the success that we all dream of and fight for each and every day.
“By then there will probably be more clarification about what the club wants for the future and then we will see.”
He added, “Of course, I definitely felt like that because there are loads of questions everyone wants to ask each and everyone of us. The manager said it in his press conference: ask everything there and then we go back to focusing on what we want to achieve and that’s how I see it as well.
“We can speak about the situation about what will happen next year every week but it doesn’t change, it’s noise we don’t need and that’s why we focus on getting the job done and that’s why I feel nothing has changed. It is still the same but at the end of the season there will be different things happening of course but that is for the club to sort out.
“Nothing has really changed. Obviously things will change at the end of the season and in the new season but at the moment it doesn’t and we have to keep doing the same things.
“It’s easier said than done but I sense the rest of the boys think like that as well and it is the job for me to ensure we keep it that way. Today (against Norwich City in the Emirates FA Cup was a good day.
“I don’t think it could be an insult to your professionalism (to let Klopp’s news affect you), we are all human beings and we have emotions – some players feel different about the manager’s announcement than others: that’s absolutely normal because everyone thinks in different ways but I didn’t notice the professionalism being dropped or the level of standard.
“The training sessions I have seen in the last couple of days were not different than before and I think today as well, for the boss it was a bit different, but for us it was to make sure we got to the next round with some players coming back from injury and now we focus on Wednesday (against Chelsea).”
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