Arne Slot shares what wowed him about Virgil van Dijk in his first Liverpool training session

Liverpool are in a great place at present as they sit top of the Premier League table and the Champions League standings.

The Reds are also in the Carabao Cup semi-finals and will be among the favourites to win the FA Cup when they begin their campaign in the third round this month.

Liverpool have enjoyed a seamless transition from Jurgen Klopp to Arne Slot, who has been a revelation since taking the reins at Anfield last summer.

The Reds boast a star-studded squad with some of the best players in the world, led by captain Virgil van Dijk.

Slot, speaking at his press conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game with Manchester United, explained what makes Van Dijk so special.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Arne Slot says Virgil van Dijk’s ball possession wowed him in Liverpool training

Slot told the Liverpool media team that Van Dijk is a “complete player” whose ball possession blew him away the first time he took training with his new team.

“I have to make a long list because the best players in the world have so many great attributes,” began Slot.

“I think Virgil has a lot of game intelligence, so he reads the game really well. He’s big and strong, he’s fast.

“I was impressed by how he is in ball possession – that was from the first session I did, I was like, ‘Wow!’ He can delay his choice and he can wait for the last moment to play a ball through the lines.

“He’s a complete player, which is the same like Mo – otherwise you don’t belong to the best players in the world or the best player in the world in your position.

“One of the reasons is that they hardly have anything that is not good enough.”

Slot admits Van Dijk could yet improve

Slot also said even a “complete” veteran like Van Dijk could yet improve a bit, but he said this was a conversation that would stay between himself and the player.

“Of course, even for Virgil there are some things of his game we would like to see he could improve on a bit,” admitted Slot. “[You’re] probably going to ask me what but I’m telling Virgil this!

“But he’s doing outstanding for us. One of the things I didn’t say but I said in many other press conferences, he’s also the one that leads the team from start to finish.

“And by start to finish I mean if we go out on the training ground, the moment I blow my whistle and the exercise starts I will hear for sure one player and that’s Virgil.

“He brings a lot of positive energy to the club as well and a lot of positive energy in the group.”

The latest on Van Dijk’s future at Liverpool

Fabrizio Romano recently claimed on his YouTube channel that Liverpool are “pushing” to agree new deals with Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The transfer insider has also reported that the Reds have confidence they’ll thrash out agreements with Van Dijk and Salah in particular.

“Behind the scenes Liverpool insist they are negotiating with all three players – Van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold,” said Romano.

“They are absolutely pushing with all of them and especially with Van Dijk and Salah Liverpool maintain their confidence to find a way, to find an agreement.

“But at the moment, still no breakthrough in negotiations. So the talks continue and Liverpool maintain that they keep insisting, they keep talking. But at the moment there is no green light.

“For Trent, as I told you several times, Real Madrid are there, but still nothing done or agreed [between Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid].”

Paul Merson criticised Liverpool for their star trio’s contract situation, claiming it’s “unheard of” in football.

Click here to read article