Van Dijk hints at Liverpool exit after England defeat brings ’emotional’ season to a close
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk admits he will “think carefully” about his future for both club and country after the Netherlands were dumped out of Euro 2024 by England.
Ollie Watkins’ late winner broke Dutch hearts on Wednesday night after Van Dijk’s side took the lead through Xavi Simons before Harry Kane drew the Three Lions from the spot in the first half.
Van Dijk has one year left to run on his contract at Anfield but there have been suggestions that he could look to leave the club following Jurgen Klopp’s exit at the end of last season.
‘I will think carefully’
Compatriot Arne Slot will now be in the dugout and reports suggest he wants to retain Van Dijk, but the 33-year-old admitted after the defeat to England that he hasn’t yet decided what the future holds.
Asked about his future for Liverpool and the Netherlands, the Dutch skipper replied: “I haven’t the slightest idea right now.
“I will think carefully this summer about what I want at club level and as an international player.
“Then we’ll go for it again, but first recover from this.
“After a season like this, where all kinds of things have happened, it gets emotional at the end because you know it’s over.”
Van Dijk had said previously that he wants to be “a part of” the “big transition” post-Jurgen Klopp, but may now have changed his mind.
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‘The referee ran back inside’
The centre-back took issue with referee Felix Zwayer’s decision to award England a penalty for Denzel Dumfries’ challenge on Harry Kane, claiming the official’s eagerness to get down the tunnel after the final whistle was tellling.
“The referee ran back inside straight after the full-time whistle, that says a lot,” Van Dijk added.
“I had no time to shake his hand. But it is what it is, the game is done, we lost, certain moments were obvious that they should have gone our way, but they didn’t, whatever the outcome.
“Especially in the second half I had the feeling the outcome would fall our way. But Watkins was perhaps given a little too much space and he finished well.
“It hurts a lot that we conceded this goal so late in the match and are now empty-handed. You put everything into it, everyone gives everything and if the goal comes like that in the last minute, that just sucks. Sorry.”
