Virgil van Dijk remains highly unlikely to feature in the remaining part of the ongoing campaign for Liverpool FC, clarified boss Jurgen Klopp.
The Holland international defender was diagnosed with an ACL injury following a crashing challenge on him from Everton No.1 Jordan Pickford during the Merseyside derby last October and reports confirmed the former Southampton man was set to be sidelined for the rest of the 2020-21 season.
However, recent suggestions had claimed that Van Dijk was in the fray to stage a return to the first-team fold at Anfield much earlier than expected as the 29-year-old’s activity on social media indicated he was working hard on his rehabilitation programme on his way to full fitness.
Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, played down such implications while speaking to reporters in his pre-match interview ahead of Wednesday night’s affair at Anfield where the Reds play hosts to Brighton, with the German coach insisting that the Dutchman faces a long journey from being reintegrated into the ranks at Anfield.
“Whatever happens, I think we have space for Virgil on the Champions League list. I think he was on the Premier League list. Nobody told me I have to change something with that. If we have space in the Champions League list then Virgil will be on the list,” said the boss.
“In the moment, I don’t know where these things are coming from – nobody really, no doctor, nobody really told me there’s a chance for Virgil to play in this season again.
“I don’t want to say that’s absolutely impossible but it’s not likely. It’s not likely. We don’t have to discuss these things really.
“If we have space we would put them all on, even when all the medical people tell us there’s no chance. We put them on because we believe in miracles from time to time.
