[ad_1]
Virgil van Dijk ‘is set to come back from an ACL injury in time for the title encounter with center half Liverpool in April’, which is a huge boost for the champions, but will they still try to sign a cover this month?
- Virgil van Dijk aims for return to Liverpool first team in April
- The defender has worked very hard on his rehabilitation in Dubai
- But Joe Gomez isn’t expected to return to action until the end of the season
- Jurgen Klopp remains focused on signing center-back in transfer window
Liverpool have received 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 breaking his anterior cruciate ligament in the Merseyside derby against Everton after Jordan Pickford’s reckless lunge.
But his hard work during his rehab in Dubai is paying off, with Van Dijk due to return to the field in three months, according to the Daily Star.
Virgil van Dijk prepares to return to action for Liverpool in just three months
Van Dijk has been sidelined since October when he was injured by Jordan Pickford in the derby
Van Dijk trained in the renowned NAS facility and keeps fans informed of his progress. He recently shared a photo of himself with UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was also there for treatment.
However, the news is less positive for van Dijk’s center-back partner Joe Gomez, who is still set to miss the rest of the season and could 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 the 23-year-old was ‘far away’ to make a comeback.
Joe Gomez is working hard on his rehabilitation but Jurgen Klopp says his return is ‘far away’
Klopp remains very keen to sign a new center-back before the transfer window closes
With their three main center-backs injured – Joel Matip was the last to suffer ankle injuries against Tottenham on Thursday – the Reds remain keen to bring in a new replacement before the transfer window closes.
However, the champions are frustrated with the unavailability of major goals until the summer, leaving them with a limited selection of candidates whose quality is not guaranteed.
A move for Dayot Upacemano from Leipzig is complicated by the Germans facing Liverpool in the Champions League while Bayern Munich’s David Alaba is keen to move to La Liga.
More realistic options include Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi and West Ham’s Issa Diop, both of whom are out of favor with their current sides. Mustafi, a former German international, only has six months left on his contract in the Emirates.
Skipper Jordan Henderson is expected to team up Nathaniel Phillips or Rhys Williams against West Ham on Sunday. The young Liverpools had previously only made six Premier League appearances between them.
In addition to van Dijk and Gomez, Klopp’s back line was ripped apart with even more injuries
Source link
