Van Dijk tells Liverpool teammates not up for the challenge to leave the club

Virgil van Dijk has issued a blunt warning to his Liverpool teammates, saying any player unwilling to meet the demands of the coming season should leave Anfield. The captain’s comments come after Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League in 2024/25 — scraping into the Champions League on the final day — and cost Arne Slot his job just 12 months after he had led the club to the title.

“For me personally, being a Liverpool player, last year was unacceptable,” Van Dijk said. “But that is last year. This year we have an opportunity to turn that around, together with our fans. And we all know how tough that will be but if you’re not up for the challenge, then you’re not at the right place.”

The Dutchman was careful to add that, as of now, he senses the right mentality in the dressing room. “What I feel at the moment is everyone is up for the challenge,” he said. “Let’s see how we go about it. But I’m really looking forward to this season and I don’t think we have a point to prove to anyone. We have to show how much we care, how much we want to fight for this badge.”

The squad Van Dijk is rallying looks markedly different from the one that stumbled last term. Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson have both departed, while Ibrahima Konaté has joined Real Madrid. In response, the club have brought in Victor Munoz, Jeremy Jacquet, and Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona ahead of Andoni Iraola’s first season in charge.

With the transfer window still open, Van Dijk signalled he expects further movement. “We need a squad that is able to compete on all four fronts and that’s the only way to try to be successful,” he said. “Let’s see what the last couple of weeks of the transfer window will bring and then let’s go for it.”

Drawing an unlikely comparison, Van Dijk pointed to Iraola’s former side as a model for what Liverpool can achieve. “If you look at Bournemouth last year, I think they were pretty exciting,” he said. “If we keep working, keep believing, keep showing our quality, staying fit, and hopefully win a lot of games then we can be very excited.”

The captain’s message is unambiguous: the disappointment of last season is the floor, not the ceiling, and anyone not prepared to push beyond it has no place at the club.