Rooney warns Van Dijk over ‘hardest thing’ at Liverpool – ‘They’ve stayed there too long’
Wayne Rooney has warned Virgil van Dijk not to “stay too long” at Liverpool after a season of decline for the Reds captain and fellow Anfield icon Mohamed Salah.
The legendary duo both signed two-year contract extensions at the end of last season, but Salah announced in March that he would be leaving the club at the end of the current campaign amid a dramatic downturn in form, with Liverpool agreeing to let him depart as a free agent.
Van Dijk’s performances have also dipped significantly this term and Rooney has warned Van Dijk over what he admits is the “hardest thing for a player to understand”.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, Rooney said: “I said this since the start of the season, age gets to us all and your legs go.
“I think that’s happened to Salah this season and Virgil van Dijk hasn’t been the same this season. They are the leaders in the dressing room. It’s hard for the other players to go and leave their mark or become the leaders.
“I don’t think he [Van Dijk] will [leave] but you’ve seen players when they’ve stayed there for too long.”
He added: “The hardest thing for a player is to understand you may be not at the level you were. I did it at Manchester United when Zlatan Ibrahimovic came in and I wasn’t playing. I wanted to play so I left straight away. I accepted it.”
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Salah to get his send-off
Salah is set to miss Liverpool’s clash with Manchester United on Sunday after he was forced off against Crystal Palace last weekend with a hamstring issue.
But while Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed his absence for the game at Old Trafford, he is confident the winger will return before the end of the season to be given the send-off he deserves before going to the World Cup with Egypt this summer.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Slot said: “As we know for Mo, he is always working hard when he is fit and when he is injured to be back. He is usually fitter than others, so we expect him back for the final part of the season.
“Not for tomorrow. It is always a big relief that his injury is minor to play for us and the World Cup. Any time a player who deserved a send-off, it’s great news.”
