Report: 'Fantastic' Liverpool player is always going to watch academy matches in his spare time
11/01/2024 03:00 PM
Liverpool have been producing some top young players through their youth teams in recent times.
For a long number of years, the Liverpool academy lay far more dormant than it should have.
The Reds have brought through some incredible talents in decades past. The likes of Steven Gerrard and Jaime Carragher are true Liverpool legends, for example.
But though Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones have since followed in their footsteps, there was a feeling that Liverpool could be getting more out of their homegrown youngsters.
That has now changed, with Jurgen Klopp a big driving force in promoting some top quality young players to the Liverpool squad.
Klopp’s viewpoint has been part of a change in attitude at the club, which has seen the first-team and academy move to the same building, too. That shift appears to now be complete, with Virgil van Dijk the latest player to show involvement at the Liverpool academy.
Virgil van Dijk helps out Liverpool’s youngsters
Van Dijk is arguably the biggest name of all at Liverpool right now. The captain is one of football’s true superstars.
It was only earlier this week that Carragher named Van Dijk as the best centre-back on the planet once again, for example.
The 33-year-old makes those around him better and on top of all of his otherworldly ability is also an superb role model and leader.
This is seen time and time again through the way he leads the Liverpool first-team on and off the pitch.
READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk reveals ‘key’ difference in how Liverpool play under Arne Slot
But according to The Athletic, Virgil has also shown leadership at all levels of the club.
They claim that the Dutch defender can often be seen watching the academy teams in action and is said to ‘go out of his way’ to offer words of support to Liverpool’s youngsters.
Furthermore, Van Dijk’s ‘presence and positivity’ around the training facility as a whole is reportedly seen as being an important factor in the current set-up of the club.
Van Dijk offers Trey Nyoni advice
Although there are many exciting youngsters within the Liverpool academy right now, only one has seen action so far this season.
Arne Slot is a big fan of Trey Nyoni and gave the 17-year-old his first minutes of the campaign against Brighton on Wednesday.
In the build-up to that game, The Athletic also detailed how Van Dijk has been helping Nyoni more specifically.
They claim that the captain has ‘offered soothing words and given useful advice’ to the midfielder who is almost half his age.
Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven recently labelled Van Dijk as being ‘fantastic‘ in terms of his ability as a centre-half, and he is. But it’s these more intangible moments that also make the skipper the player he truly is. Liverpool can’t afford to lose that.
