Andy Robertson was in contract talks with Liverpool before Tottenham showed interest in the Scotland captain, who is looking for regular football ahead of the World Cup.
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson (Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Manager Virgil van Dijk has made it clear that he wants Andy Robertson to remain at Liverpool as talks continue over a potential move with Tottenham Hotspur before the window closes in January. Robertson was in talks with Liverpool over new terms before Spurs made a surprise approach earlier this week.
The two clubs are currently in deep discussions, but no conclusion has been reached yet. The Reds recognize and value the outstanding service their vice-captain has provided over the past eight-and-a-half years. The Scotland captain is believed to be hoping for consistent first-team action as he prepares for his country’s first World Cup appearance since 1998 later this year.
Van Dijk has said he has discussed the speculation with his vice-captain and is hopeful the experienced left-back will remain at Anfield for at least the rest of the season, with his contract expiring in the summer, reports the Liverpool Echo.
“Of course I have spoken to him,” Van Dijk said. “I talk to him every day. He’s my vice-captain. Robbo is a very important member of our team and I want him to stay, but we’ll see what happens.”
read more: Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer reveal best candidate to be Liverpool managerread more: Jamie Redknapp slams ‘amateur’ Liverpool mistakes in late Bournemouth defeat
“Do we expect him to be here on Wednesday (against Qarabag)? That doesn’t concern me, right? Once (the transfer) is decided, we will talk about (my best memories with him).”
Follow our Liverpool FB page! Keep up with the latest Reds news and more on our dedicated Facebook page
Van Dijk was addressing the media after Liverpool lost 3-2 to Bournemouth, their first defeat in 13 games. After Liverpool came back from goals from Evanilson and Alex Jimenez, Amine Adli scored the last goal of the match with a header from the captain and a free kick from Dominik Szoboszlai.
The defeat could be a big blow to their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, with Van Dijk admitting fatigue was a factor, especially after the 3-0 Champions League win over Marseille earlier in the week.
Van Dijk said: “What is the explanation for the fatigue? What do you think? We didn’t have many injuries last season. Look at the last line at the end of the game. That says a lot.”
“Tired, yeah. Listen, they created chances because we were very open at times. Then if we don’t make the right decisions in possession, we can get counter-attacked.”
Virgil van Dijk talks about Andy Robertson’s future at Liverpool (Image: Getty Images)
“Personally I’m not starting to worry[about fighting for the top four]but the real question is what we do in the week. We’re trying to find consistency and we haven’t found it yet. That’s what we need to focus on.”
“We played against a very competitive Bournemouth side. When it’s just myself and Wata (Wataru Endo) in the last two players, there’s a lot of space if you lose the ball. We’ve had a tough season with ups and downs, but now we have a chance to be in the top eight of the Champions League on Wednesday. That’s our goal, but it’s hard to seize today.”
“It was tough. It’s disappointing. I take responsibility for the first goal, even though it was a very difficult ball to judge. In the second half, we tried to fulfill it.”
“For the second goal, we can all say we should have kicked the ball out, we should have done it that way, but when you concede a goal like that, you put yourself in a situation where you have to work even harder than before.
“It was good to score before half-time, but we fought hard in the second half but didn’t create many big chances. We put ourselves in a promising position and eventually scored the equalizer, but the throw-in at the end was difficult to take.”
Andy Robertson is wanted by Spurs (Image: Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images)
“In the first half, until the first goal, I don’t think I had any problems with my feelings. 1-0 and 2-0 in a very short space of time was a big blow. We have to fight back and be very strong mentally.”
“The goal before half-time helped us and gave us a big boost. We obviously pushed a lot in the second half. We didn’t create big clear chances in the open, but they created bigger chances because we were wide open at times trying to score. That’s the situation.”
“The problem is that it’s partial. Good times happen on the other side as well. I’m just as involved as everyone else, and unfortunately that’s the case today.
“I always take that responsibility. Today is difficult because we lost in an already difficult season. We have to change that feeling as soon as possible to get the job done on Wednesday. That’s life.”
“Last Wednesday, we got a lot of praise as a team and as individuals, and everything was fine. Today, on the flip side, everything else will be mentioned, because this is our life. We have to take responsibility, and I definitely will take responsibility.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£49
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
