Virgil van Dijk ‘set to return from ACL injury in time for the title run-in with Liverpool centre half due back in April’ in huge boost to champions, but will they still try to sign cover this month?
- Virgil van Dijk is targeting a return to Liverpool’s first-team as soon as April
- The defender has been working extremely hard on his rehabilitation in Dubai
- But Joe Gomez is not expected to return to action before the end of the season
- Jurgen Klopp remains focused on signing a centre-back in the transfer window
Liverpool have been given a major boost with the news that talismanic defender Virgil van Dijk is set to return to action in April.
The Dutchman has been on the sidelines since October after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the Merseyside Derby against Everton following Jordan Pickford’s reckless lunge.
But his hard work during his rehabilitation in Dubai is paying off with Van Dijk due back on the pitch in three months’ time, according to the Daily Star.
Virgil van Dijk is preparing to return to action for Liverpool in as little as three months’ time
Van Dijk has been sidelined since October when he was injured by Jordan Pickford in the derby
Van Dijk has been training at the renowned NAS facility and keeping fans updated on his progress. He most recently shared a snap of him with UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was also there for treatment.
However, the news is less positive for van Dijk’s centre-back partner Joe Gomez, who is still expected to miss the remainder of the season and may even be a doubt for England at Euro 2020.
Gomez suffered a serious knee injury while on international duty with England in November, and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said earlier this week that the 23-year-old was ‘far away’ from making a return.
Joe Gomez is working hard on his rehabilitation but Jurgen Klopp said his return is ‘far away’
Klopp remains very keen to bring in a new central defender before the transfer window shuts
With their three main central defenders out injured – Joel Matip was the latest to suffer ankle damage against Tottenham on Thursday – the Reds remain very keen to bring in a new replacement before the transfer window shuts.
However, the champions are frustrated by top targets being unavailable until the summer, leaving them with a limited selection of candidates not guaranteed to be good enough.
A move for Leipzig’s Dayot Upacemano is complicated by the Germans facing Liverpool in the Champions League while Bayern Munich’s David Alaba has his heart set on a move to La Liga.
More realistic options include Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi and Issa Diop of West Ham who are both out of favour at their current sides. Mustafi, a former German international, has only six months left on his contract at The Emirates.
Skipper Jordan Henderson is set to partner Nathaniel Phillips or Rhys Williams against West Ham on Sunday. The Liverpool youngsters have previously made just six Premier League appearances between them.
As well as van Dijk and Gomez, Klopp’s back line has been torn apart with even more injuries