'We need quality!' Van Dijk demands Liverpool signings

James Shearman

• Updated: 16 Mar 2023 22:56 GMT
• 4 min read

Virgil van Dijk wants Liverpool to add 'quality' to the team in the next transfer window.

The Reds could let go of a number of players in the next transfer window, meaning additions will be needed to rebuild the team.

And Van Dijk hopes that the summer signings are good enough to help the Merseyside club bounce back to the Premier League and Champions League contention.

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''Obviously players are going to leave. That’s obviously been announced so we have to, if we want to be where we have been the last five years, we need quality imports, especially with those players leaving,” said defender, via Sky Sports.

''I think that’s quite obvious but everyone knows that’s going to be very difficult.

''It is going to be very difficult to find the right players but the club has to do their job in this case.

''We still have a lot of games to play for us and we want to be in the Champions League. I think that will also help to attract the best players in the world. Not all the time but it will definitely help.''

Players Liverpool need to sell

Nathaniel Phillips - In truth, the soon-to-be 26-year-old should’ve been sold during the 2021 summer transfer window. The centre-back helped Liverpool qualify for the Champions League despite their injury crisis in defence and his stock was never higher. A permanent move away seems to always be on the cards but it never truly materialises. In January, injuries stopped him from moving and he’s once again fifth-choice now that everyone has returned.

Caoimhin Kelleher - This move would be more for his sake. He is too good to be second choice, especially when he isn’t even guaranteed to get cup games. The 24-year-old has aspirations of being a starter of the Republic of Ireland and for that to happen, he needs to be a starter at club level. Kelleher has a long contract at Liverpool so could fetch a fair amount and this would go some way to funding a rebuild.

Joel Matip - Liverpool need to add more reliable centre-backs to their squad so sacrifices will have to be made. With Matip’s deal up in 2024, it makes the most sense to look to manoeuvre him out of the door a year earlier. It might be different had his performances been consistent this term but he’s struggled for both form and fitness. He would’ve commanded a huge fee a few years back but at 31 he could still fetch a fair transfer fee.

Kostas Tsimikas - In many ways, his situation is similar to that of Kelleher’s. He’s too good to be a back-up and Liverpool aren’t flush enough to have a €25million-rated left-back on their bench. He gets first-team football and the Reds get to add to their transfer kitty. It could be a win-win situation.