Arne Slot has been warned that Virgil van Dijk ‘must be moved on’ for struggling Liverpool to ‘progress next season’.
Liverpool were widely tipped to retain their Premier League title this season after blowing away their rivals in Slot’s first year at Anfield.
But the Reds endured a miserable campaign, finishing just fifth – 25 points behind new champions Arsenal – and failing to win any trophies.
Liverpool’s poor form looked set to cost Slot his job at Anfield but club bosses have somewhat surprisingly decided to keep faith in the Dutchman.
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Slot will be under immediate pressure to oversee an upturn in results next season but England hero Chris Waddle doubts that will happen unless club legend Van Dijk is ‘moved on’.
Van Dijk has been one of the best defenders in the world over the past decade, helping Liverpool win two Premier League titles, the Champions League and three domestic cups.
Like many of his teammates, Van Dijk, 34, was not at his best this season as Liverpool conceded 53 goals, 26 more than champions Arsenal.
While Waddle believes Van Dijk is past his best, he has urged Liverpool to activate a buy-back option for Jarell Quansah, who they sold to Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
Quansah signed a five-year contract at Leverkusen but Liverpool have the option to re-sign the 23-year-old England international for around 60m euros (£52m).
‘The biggest problem with Liverpool for me this season has been their centre-halves,’ Waddle told BoyleSports.
‘Virgil Van Dijk has been a great player for Liverpool. I wouldn’t knock the career he’s bad but if Liverpool are looking to progress next season they have to move him on.
‘It maybe would have been better for them had he gone this season. I’m still surprised they let Jarell Quansah go to Bayer Leverkusen.
‘They could have signed Marc Guehi last summer but he went to Manchester City in January.
‘Ibrahima Konate has found it really hard this season but Joe Gomez is a good centre-half when he’s fit, he just never plays there.
‘I saw Wayne Rooney digging out Mohamed Salah saying he shouldn’t play the final game of the season after what he said about Arne Slot, that he’s thrown his manager under a lorry, but it’s just time for everyone to move on, and Van Dijk’s got to go too.
‘They’ve got the option to buy back the lad Quansah from Leverkusen and they’ve got to take it this summer, and if they can keep Joe Gomez fit then you can go and find a really top centre-half and that will help Liverpool.’
One of the likely contenders to replace Slot at Liverpool, Xabi Alonso, will be in the Chelsea dugout next season after signing a four-year deal with the Blues.
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