Liverpool spent a whopping £415m in the summer transfer window, with player sales reaching £187m as Arne Slott’s Premier League champions underwent a bit of a makeover.
Virgil van Dijk has praised Liverpool’s “fantastic” efforts in the transfer window, and now the onus is on him and his team-mates to “create” another title-winning team.
The Premier League champions signed nine senior players and released 10 first-team players in a record-breaking summer transfer window at Anfield. Liverpool spent £415m on new signings and recouped £187m in player sales, leaving a dizzying net spend of £228m. With the additions of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, some thought Arne Slott’s side could become even stronger this season.
However, despite a perfect start in terms of results, Liverpool’s embarrassing performances caught up with them and they lost their last three competitive games before the October international break. While the likes of Isak and Wirtz have problems in attack, the Reds’ defense, still led by Van Dijk, is porous.
But Liverpool’s captain insists the club’s summer splurge was more about “replacing” departing players than adding new members to Slot’s existing squad, and it will take time for them to gel. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, who played at least 44 games last season, were all sold.
Van Dijk told Reach Sports: “I think the club has done a great job in terms of the reinforcements we’ve made, but it’s not really reinforcements, because obviously we’ve lost a lot of quality that was so important in the last few years.” “Lucio (Luis Diaz), Darwin Nuñez, Jarrell Quansah, Harvey Elliott, the quality that we’ve been selling is obviously high.
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“We had to replace them and replace them with quality. And we know the market today. It’s just difficult, but the club has succeeded brilliantly in getting them over the line. Now it’s time to work hard and create a very, very good team on the pitch and compete in every competition we play in. That’s the goal.”
The Dutchman added: “It’s very difficult to keep the title after winning. We didn’t do it after winning last time (2020), but Manchester City managed to do it, but it’s very difficult.”
Van Dijk also stressed that despite the overhaul, Liverpool must maintain their dressing room culture. The 34-year-old is approaching 10 years at the club and few are in a better position to talk to new players about their identity.
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“The most important thing is the culture of the club, which will never change,” continued Van Dijk. “That’s the most important thing to keep at Liverpool. There are values at the club that everyone has to live by.”
“It all starts with these values, working hard for our fans around the world and hoping that by doing that we can be successful. There is quality, but there are no guarantees. So to make that happen in our matches, first and foremost we have to work for that every day.”
“Ever since I came to this club, obviously from the day Jurgen (Klopp) was the manager and Hendo (Jordan Henderson) was the captain, I wanted to carry on with the values that they showed me back then.
“That’s how it should be for the next few years and whatever happens after I finally have to leave. I say there is a Liverpool way and that is the key and the start of our success.”
“Being the biggest club[in England]is definitely a goal for the club and it’s definitely a goal for us as players as well. We want to be[champions]and we love staying at the top, but I think the Premier League is very, very difficult.”
Cadbury Ambassador Virgil Van Dyk celebrates game changers across the country, celebrating those who offer small acts that make a big difference. For more information, visit @cadburyuk on Instagram.
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