TOUGH LOVE? WHAT VAN DIJK REALLY SAID TO KERKEZ DURING THOSE AUTUMN STRUGGLES
Liverpool reach the FA Cup fifth round: Read Van Dijk’s verdict on Milos Kerkez’s rise and the latest on Mohamed Salah’s future.
That moment really summed up the tough patch Liverpool went through earlier in the season. Back then, Virgil van Dijk’s on-field shouts towards Milos Kerkez probably leaned more critical than kind. Things have turned around, though. Now, if Van Dijk’s hollering at Kerkez, there’s a good chance it’s praise.
Kerkez has kept up his strong run, grabbing man of the match as Liverpool knocked out Brighton on Saturday to reach the FA Cup fifth round.
Getting to this point hasn’t exactly been a breeze for Kerkez. He came in from Bournemouth last summer for £40 million and is expected to fill Andy Robertson’s shoes long-term. Not the easiest gig.
But Van Dijk has seen Kerkez settle in. The young left-back set up Curtis Jones for Liverpool’s opener against Brighton, and he’s starting to get what it means to play for this club.
“You can see he’s getting better,” Van Dijk said. “He’s so young, still getting used to being a Liverpool player, and it’s more than just playing football here. When the team’s up and down, it’s tough to show your best.
"But with Robbo helping him and the rest of us, plus his own hard work, he’s making real progress. There’s so much more for him to learn, which is great. He just needs to keep at it.
“He’s got loads of energy; he’s young, you know? We all had that when we were his age. He wants to learn.
"And the price tag? Nothing you can do about it. When I signed for £75 million, it was the same thing. Big money, but what can you do?”
Earlier in the season, Van Dijk often played the tough mentor, always talking to Kerkez, sometimes giving him blunt advice. It wasn’t always pretty to watch, but Van Dijk knew it was part of the process.
“I’ve had plenty of chats with him on the pitch; we need to work together, whether it’s covering for each other or sorting out positioning,” Van Dijk said.
"You have to understand each other, and Robbo and I had that for years. It comes with time and games.
"Of course, we talk on the pitch and behind the scenes just like everyone else. We’re all trying to be the best team we can be.”
Saturday wasn’t just about Kerkez, though. Mohamed Salah put on a show too, setting up Dominik Szoboszlai for the second and then winning and scoring the penalty for Liverpool’s third.
Not long ago, people worried that a home win over Brighton would be Salah’s last Liverpool match before heading to the Africa Cup of Nations, especially after he came out swinging with comments about being scapegoated and having no real relationship with Arne Slot.
Since then, things have calmed down. Salah came back from international duty with two goals and four assists in seven games.
Van Dijk knows just how much Salah means to Liverpool. “Mo is still huge for us. Last week, he got another assist and broke another record. As captain, having him around means a lot to me, and the team is better with him out there.
"He always brings more than goals, but people focus on his scoring. That’s the price of setting such high standards; if he isn’t banging them in, he gets stick.
"He just needs to stay calm and keep doing what he does, because he’s got so much more to give. He’s a big presence for us, on and off the pitch.”
Of course, people are still talking about Salah’s future. The Saudi Pro League is circling, ready to make another move for him this summer.
Van Dijk takes it as it comes. “It is what it is. All our focus is on making this season a success. We’ll see what happens after that.
"I always want Mo to stay. He’s a good friend; we’ve been through the highs and the not-so-highs together for years. I’m in the same spot with one more year left on my contract, so we’ll see.”
INSIDE ARNE SLOT’S TACTICAL SYSTEM AND ITS IMPACT ON FLORIAN WIRTZ’S GOAL OUTPUT
Florian Wirtz has scored just four times in 25 league games, a major drop from his elite Bayer Leverkusen scoring form.
Florian Wirtz’s £116 million price tag is starting to raise some eyebrows, especially as he struggles to find the scoring touch that made him so valuable. Tony Cascarino from talkSPORT pointed out that while Wirtz is undeniably technically gifted, he’s yet to become truly clinical in front of goal since joining Liverpool.
Wirtz, who moved from Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield with big expectations, took a bit of time to adjust but began contributing to Arne Slot’s team. Yet goals have remained elusive. In 25 Premier League appearances, he’s only managed to score four times, with just one goal each in the Champions League and FA Cup. Recent missed opportunities against Galatasaray, which coincided with Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat, only highlight this ongoing challenge.
Cascarino, a former Chelsea striker and long-time Reds fan, commented on the Weekend Sports Breakfast that Wirtz’s inability to take those chances stands out. He recalled Wirtz’s decent scoring record at Leverkusen, particularly during a season when the club contended for the Bundesliga title, but said those numbers haven’t yet translated to his time in England.
Back when Wirtz was at Bayer Leverkusen, he was more consistent as both a goalscorer and playmaker. Over his last two seasons there, he not only reached double figures in goals but also in assists. For instance, in the 2023/24 season, he scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists, followed by 10 goals and 13 assists the following year. At Liverpool, however, the numbers look quite different. Four goals in 25 league matches is a noticeable drop, even accounting for the Premier League’s markedly higher level of competition. Despite having 24 shots with 15 on target this season, he’s yet to convert those chances into more goals.
Looking ahead, Wirtz will be eager to improve his goal tally in Liverpool’s upcoming match against Tottenham at Anfield. With Igor Tudor’s position at Spurs seemingly under pressure, a strong showing from Wirtz could have a significant impact. The game, scheduled for 4:30 pm on Merseyside, offers him an opportunity not only to build confidence but also, perhaps, to silence some critics questioning whether he can justify that hefty transfer fee.
FINANCIAL EXPERTS PREDICT £120M HIT IF LIVERPOOL MISS 2026-27 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOT
Liverpool face a £120m disaster: Read about the Champions League race, Arne Slot’s anger, and the impact of the £400m summer spend.
Liverpool’s in a tight spot right now. After losing to Wolves at Molineux, they’re clinging to fifth place, usually good enough for a Champions League spot, but the cushion isn’t exactly comfortable. They’re just three points ahead of Chelsea, who still have a game in hand against Aston Villa. That race is heating up fast.
Virgil van Dijk summed it up pretty well: “Either we get it, and we deserve it, or we don’t get it, and we don’t deserve it. If you play for Liverpool, it’s always been like this. It’s down to us, together with our fans, to get the results we need to get into the Champions League.” He also mentioned that Arne Slot, the head coach, wasn’t exactly thrilled after the loss; “angry” was the word he used.
But it’s not just about pride or missing out on big European nights. There’s a lot of money on the line. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire pointed out that missing out on the Champions League could leave a big dent in Liverpool’s bank account, even if the club runs pretty sensibly these days.
UEFA’s numbers tell the story. Liverpool earned €98.1 million (£85.3 million/$114 million) just for reaching the last 16 of the 2024–25 Champions League. Compare that to the Europa League, where they only received €26.8 million (£23.3 million/$31.1 million) for reaching the quarterfinals last season. The gap is massive.
Even winning the lesser European trophies doesn’t come close. Tottenham got €41.4 million (£36 million/$48.1 million) for winning the Europa League, and Chelsea picked up €21.8 million (£20 million/$26.7 million) for the Conference League. It’s nowhere near what Champions League teams bring home.
Maguire also pointed out the other hits: fewer home match days, less broadcast cash, and sponsors that pay out less when the club misses the top tier. He reckons missing out could cost Liverpool around £120 million ($160 million). Still, he doesn’t think it’ll sink the club.
And it’s not like Liverpool have been shy about spending. Last summer alone, they shelled out more than £400 million ($534.5 million) on big names like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak – the biggest single-window spend in football history, actually.
Even with all that, Liverpool just reported record revenues of £703 million ($939 million) for the year ending May 2025, turning a modest £8 million ($10.7 million) profit. And here’s the kicker: despite that wild summer, Liverpool ranks only eighth in net transfer spend over the past five years. They’ve been splashing the cash, sure, but they’ve kept things balanced in the long run.
Must Read
