As Liverpool gear up for their friendly against Hertha Berlin, head coach Jurgen Klopp says Virgil van Dijk may return. So, in news of Liverpool football today, Klopp has hinted about Van Dijk returning soon.
Van Dijk hasn’t played for Liverpool since undergoing surgery, successfully, on his cruciate ligament knee injury in October last year.
As a result, the 30-year-old missed the majority of the 2020-21 campaign. He even missed playing with the Netherlands for Euro 2020 in order to focus on, and speed up, his recovery.
But now, the Netherlands international could be in line to make his long-awaited return to action this week.
Indeed, his coach Jurgen Klopp has now revealed he is nearing a long-awaited comeback.
After he has made a full recovery from his knee surgery, could Van Dijk feature in Liverpool’s upcoming pre-season match?
Liverpool Football Today – Klopp Has Hinted about Van Dijk Returning Soon
The Reds head coach gave an update on Van Dijk. Jurgen Klopp sounded optimistic ahead of his side’s meeting with Bundesliga outfit Hertha at Tivoli Stadion in Innsbruck on Thursday.
“I hope, I am not sure, that there is the opportunity that Virgil could play a few minutes,” Klopp has told the club, for the football news on their official website.
“He looks really good in training and maybe we can bring [him in], but I need to have some final conversations. He looks ready and we will see,” the Reds coach added.
What about Joe Gomez?
Klopp also answered questions about the condition of England international Joe Gomez.
Gomez has also been out of action for the past nine months due to his own serious knee injury.
And while he doesn’t expect Gomez to play against Hertha, Klopp does expect him to return for a pre-season friendly.
The German tactician is leaving the door open for Gomez to feature against Athletic Club on August 8.
This is a friendly fixture coming six days before Liverpool begin their latest Premier League campaign away at Norwich City.
“If you see the games now as part of their rehab training, that makes sense,” Klopp said. “Joey is very close.”
Klopp then talked of Van Dijk and Gomez both: “There is no race between the two of them; they had different injuries and stuff like this, but [he is] very close.
“If Virgil can play now 20 then probably Joey can in the game after. We will see. In training they both look really good.
“I think from time to time there are some pictures of them from training sessions and everyone can see how good it looks, but there is no rush for us. It is not that they now need five pre-season games to be ready for the start or whatever.
“It is a long season and we prepare them after these very, very serious injuries for the rest of their careers and not for the first game of the season. Losing a little bit of patience for them to return as a supporter or as a coach even is not bad, it just means they were pretty good and we want them to be back in the team.”
