Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk has resumed light training following his ACL injury last month, raising the possibility that the Dutchman could complete his comeback and return to the pitch for the Reds before the end of the season. can
Van Dijk tore the ACL in his right knee following a reckless and dangerous challenge from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford during the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Van Dijk needed ACL surgery after tackle Jordan Pickford/Lawrence Griffiths/Getty Images
He underwent successful surgery in London just two weeks later and is already looking at the next phase of his recovery.
A report in the Daily Mail states that Van Dijk has now started light recovery, which is low-impact training aimed at preparing his body for the second, more intense phase of recovery.
It is unclear whether Van Dijk is ahead of schedule, but his recovery so far and ability to fit in some form of training already is a promising sign for Liverpool.
It is also a significant boost for the Netherlands national team, who will want him available and fully fit in time for Euro 2020, their first major tournament since 2014.
Netherlands are banking on Van Dijk’s fitness for Euro 2020 / Jonathan Mascroup/Getty Images
Before his injury, Van Dijk had not personally enjoyed the best start to the 2020/21 season, being as guilty as the rest of the team in the 4-3 win against Leeds on the opening day and the 7-2 embarrassment. was Hands of Aston Villa. In his absence, Liverpool have failed to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League, while the defense has been further ravaged by injuries.
Emergency stand-in Fabinho is expected to return to fitness soon, but Joe Gomez will miss the rest of the season after damaging a knee tendon during England’s training session last week. Joel Matip is back for now, but the 29-year-old has had a record of fitness over the past two seasons and has already missed part of the current campaign.
Rhys Williams, who returned from England under-21s with an injury doubt, and Nathaniel Phillips are the only other recognized centre-backs in the Liverpool squad, but neither have much experience.
Despite their centre-back issues, the Reds currently do not intend to dip into the transfer market in January. A new central defender has been on their radar since selling Dejan Lloren without replacing him in July, but recruitment plans are believed to be focused on the summer.
That could change and a centre-back could be brought in – the Anfield hierarchy have informed Jurgen Klopp they are open to a deal if it makes financial sense – but now the priority is to wait until the end of the season. Is. .
Scouts have been tracking Schalke’s Ozan Kubic, Villarreal’s Pau Torres, Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykola Matviyenko, Sevilla’s Jules Conde and RB Leipzig’s David Apamecano since the summer as they assess potential options. They want to be long-term and don’t want to pay more than £40m.
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