Van Dijk leaves Netherlands squad, returns to Liverpool early

Virgil van Dijk has returned to Liverpool from the Netherlands squad for medical reasons, ahead of their match against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Ronald Koeman has decided to release both Van Dijk and Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong from the squad. The pair will not feature in the Nations League match in Zenica.

Van Dijk played the entirety of the 4-0 win over Hungary, while De Jong was substituted after 68 minutes.

Koeman explained: “For both Frenkie and Virgil, it is better for them to leave the squad now. This decision was made for medical reasons, and of course the interests of the players always come first.”

There is no information suggesting that Van Dijk has any injury problems. The decision to send him back to Liverpool is to manage his workload, especially with the Netherlands already assured of finishing second in their Nations League group.

This is a huge boon for Liverpool, who are heading into a busy period of competition. The upcoming fixtures include a trip to Southampton on Sunday, followed by two crucial games at Anfield: a Champions League with Real Madrid on 27 November and a Premier League with Manchester City just four days later.

Van Dijk’s early return to Liverpool is a big move, allowing him to get some rest and prepare for the upcoming run of fixtures. The Dutch centre-back a mainstay in Liverpool’s defence, especially as they face tough tests from Real Madrid and Manchester City.

Liverpool were in fine form before the international break, winning four games in a row. Under the leadership of new coach Arne Slot, Liverpool are currently at the top of the Premier League and Champions League rankings, while still having the opportunity to compete in two domestic cups.