Virgil van Dijk will be central to Liverpool's rebuild next season and deserves more respect - opinion
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There has been a grim air of delight in the way Virgil van Dijk’s dip in performances for Liverpool has been received this season.At the top of his trade for so long, the Dutchman has rival fans and pundits desperate to tear down his legacy in order to build up their favourites.But while there is little question that Van Dijk has been off his game of late, he will be one of Liverpool‘s absolute key figures as they aim to rebuild next season. Surely we've got no chance against them 😣 Photo Credit: Getty Images/Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images Van Dijk deserves to be cut some slackAlthough the decline of Mohamed Salah has obviously been more stark this season, there have been some who would suggest that Van Dijk’s level has dropped just as sharply.However, that would be to ignore the fact that he has been holding together a defence which has had little to no protection all season long.Ibrahima Konate has improved of late, but the Frenchman has delivered some diabolical performances, with Van Dijk essentially playing for two much of the time.
Milos Kerkez has had his struggles to the captain’s left, while right-back has been a revolving door all season. Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty ImagesREAD MORE: The ‘most likely’ outcome of Ibrahima Konate’s Liverpool contract talks revealed by French mediaAmid all of that, Van Dijk has generally remained consistent.
He is surely allowed a few bad days at the office, and although they have invariably arrived, he has deserved greater help than he has been given.Van Dijk is a nailed on starter for Liverpool next seasonDespite the willingness from some to tear him down, there is no chance that Van Dijk will not be a starter for Liverpool next season.The Reds have brought in two young centre-halves in Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet, and the veteran defender will play a pivotal role in helping them develop.Van Dijk has been written off in the past, notably after a difficult 2022/23 campaign, but in that year, like this one, he was victim of Liverpool as a whole playing badly. Is it time for Van Dijk to join Salah this summer and leave Liverpool?