Andoni Iraola discovers most indispensable Liverpool star — 'Vitally important'

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Andoni Iraola still has plenty of work to do on his Liverpool squad with the new season now just a month away, but the new head coach has been told there's one player he can't afford to loseLiverpool head coach Andoni Iraola(Image: Getty Images)Andoni Iraola has been told he “needs” to keep Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool this summer, or risk further damage to the culture at Anfield.Van Dijk is expected to return to training with the Reds soon following his involvement at the World Cup with the Netherlands, although it could prove to be his last summer at Liverpool, with just a year remaining on his contract.The defender has been linked with an exit as Liverpool faces up to its last opportunity to make any money from his sale, with Van Dijk having been touted for moves to Italy and Turkiye amid reported interest from AC Milan and Galatasaray.The speculation over his future has been dismissed already this summer, but former Red Jason McAteer has underlined the importance of Iraola keeping his captain in place.Liverpool has already lost two of its most senior players in Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, and McAteer feels other departures contributed to the downfall of former head coach Arne Slot.“I think what’s happened at Liverpool is during the tenure of Jurgen Klopp they didn’t just win things they created a culture within the football club,” McAteer told PariuriX.com.“Culture is massive. Think of the players that we lost under Arne Slot, which I think has been the downfall of Liverpool last season.“I think the culture has eroded.

Learn moreLiverpool FC have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27, inspired by iconic adidas strip worn during the club's 1989/90 title-winning campaign.“You’ve got Andy Robertson who’s not in the team, who feels like a bit-part player, you’ve got Mo Salah who’s leader, who’s in the leadership group who is fighting his own contract talks, and then you’ve got everything falling on Virgil van Dijk’s shoulders, which was just too much.“And unfortunately human nature is when it’s not going well, you protect yourself, you become insular and you look after your own performances and sometimes it’s very hard to lead a group or a collective when you’re taking a lot of criticism, and I felt that was what happened with Virgil last season.“And then you’ve got his age. So he took a lot of criticism for the team’s performances, not just his own and I felt it was unjust at times.Virgil van Dijk has just a year remaining on his contract at Liverpool(Image: Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images)“I think it is vitally important that he stays at Liverpool for this season.

I think he’s got a year left and I think it would be a mistake to let him go. How he plays him and how he uses him is down to the manager, but I think Liverpool need Virgil van Dijk from a leadership point of view, not just a playing point of view.”Liverpool.com says: McAteer shouldn’t have anything to worry about with Van Dijk this summer.