‘I think…’ – Virgil van Dijk responds to Arne Slot question amid ongoing Liverpool talks

Virgil van Dijk has shared his thoughts on Arne Slot potentially coming in as Liverpool’s next manager amid reported talks with the club.

Anfield chiefs are believed to have ‘opened negotiations‘ with Feyenoord over the 45-year-old, who looks increasingly likely to be appointed as Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

The Reds captain was asked about his potential next boss when speaking to Viaplay Netherlands shortly after the defeat to Everton last night, praising his fellow Dutchman amid his anguish over the derby result.

Van Dijk said (via Liverpool World): “I find it difficult to answer now, of course, but I think Arne Slot is perhaps one of the better Dutch coaches at the moment and I think the way he plays and the philosophy he has means he could be a Liverpool coach.

“I think what I also read and hear is that it is far from over and we’ll see. Next year we’ll focus on that.”

It seemed like a peculiar time to ask Van Dijk for his thoughts about a prospective next manager only a few minutes after meekly losing a local derby to realistically nuke any remaining hopes Liverpool had of winning the Premier League this season.

The 32-year-old did well to compartmentalise the bitter disappointment of that result when it was so raw to speak about a topic on which he had to choose his words carefully to show respect to both Slot and the Reds’ current managerial setup.

Nonetheless, the defender’s comments about the Feyenoord manager’s ‘philosophy’ echo those of his compatriot Sander Westerveld, who’s in no doubt that his former Sparta Rotterdam teammate would be a ‘perfect fit’ to take over from Klopp.

For now, let’s just try to enjoy four more matches under the greatest Liverpool coach of modern times before we look ahead in earnest to what the future holds after he leaves, whether that’s for Slot or anyone else.