Virgil Van Dijk urges Liverpool to tie down ‘best goalkeeper in the world’ Alisson | OneFootball

Virgil van Dijk has urged Liverpool to keep Alisson, saying it would be a “big blow” to lose the Brazil international and describing him as the best goalkeeper in the world.

Liverpool triggered a one-year contract extension for Alisson last month but manager Arne Slot last week refused to guarantee the 33-year-old will be at Anfield next season.

Juventus are interested in the former Roma player and this summer could be Liverpool’s last chance to get a fee for him, while they have a potential replacement in Alisson’s understudy Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Van Dijk and Alisson have been teammates since 2018 and the Dutchman warned Liverpool the goalkeeper would be missed if he leaves.

“It would definitely be a big blow and a miss but I don’t think it’s a good idea to think ahead about what could or could not happen,” he said.

“He’s very important for me as one of the leaders in the team and I think he is very important on the pitch because I think he is one of the best – in my opinion the best – goalkeeper in the world.

“He’s trying to be back as soon as possible [after injury] to help us for the last four games and that’s our main focus. Whatever happens after that is not something you should ask me. Would I love him to stay? Of course, there’s no [doubt] about that.”

Van Dijk also hopes Liverpool keep midfielder Curtis Jones, who was of interest to Inter Milan in January and who enters the last year of his contract this summer. “Of course,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen because I’m not the boss.”