Ever since Virgil van Dijk suffered a knee injury in the Merseyside derby in October, the focus has been on his eventual return to action for Liverpool.
The Dutchman has been gradually building up his recovery over the past few months, and often provides updates on social media of how he’s getting on.
In the early weeks of the year, Van Dijk went to the world-renowned Nad al Sheba Sports Complex in Dubai to complete the next stage of his recovery, but now he is back on Merseyside.
Reports in The Mirror say that Van Dijk still harbours hopes of being fit in time for this summer’s European Championships for the Netherlands.
However, Jurgen Klopp has been quite vocal about not getting hopes raised too high for Van Dijk’s return to action, and has in the past said that he hopes to have his star centre-back available for pre-season in the summer.
With Van Dijk’s fitness once again a topic of conversation, here is everything that Klopp has said about the defender’s fitness over the past few months.
November 30 (After Van Dijk’s operation)
“Of course we are in contact,” Klopp said. “Considering the circumstances he is doing well but the knee doesn’t look good.
“It doesn’t look how a knee should but looks okay considering the surgery he had.”
January 20 (Just after first video on social media emerges)
“I don’t know what is possible and what is not possible; I don’t think I’m the right person to judge that 100 per cent,” said Klopp.
“He looks really good. I spoke to him this morning, I had him on the phone – he is in a really good mood. So it’s all very promising. But I don’t know when he will be back.
“There are for sure a lot of stages still to go over or pass or whatever. That’s clear. I had this injury myself.
“But for the time we are in and for how long he is out now, how long the rehabilitation is going on, he looks really, really promising. But that’s all.”
Feb 2 (Prior to Champions League squad announcement)
"Whatever happens, I think we have space for Virgil on the Champions League list. I think he was on the Premier League list. Nobody told me I have to change something with that. If we have space in the Champions League list then Virgil will be on the list," Klopp said.
"In the moment, I don’t know where these things are coming from – nobody really, no doctor, nobody really told me there’s a chance for Virgil to play in this season again.
"I don’t want to say that’s absolutely impossible but it’s not likely. It’s not likely. We don’t have to discuss these things really.
"If we have space we would put them all on, even when all the medical people tell us there’s no chance. We put them on because we believe in miracles from time to time.
"But if there’s no place then we have to consider these kind of things and say, 'The chance is not too big so we have to make the decision.' But if they are on the list then it’s only because we hope for nearly a miracle. That’s it."
March 13 (Will Van Dijk be fit for the Euros?)
"It is not my decision [for the Euros] but to be honest the information I have in the moment is that it will be unlikely," said Klopp, earlier this month.
"So it is not that I don't let [Van Dijk and Joe Gomez] go, because I don't want to have to do that anyway, it is because of the extent of the injuries.
"We all hope they will be ready to start pre-season with us, that's what we all hope. With Joel, it is pretty much the same.
"These are really serious injuries and it is now not about talking about which competition they play.
"As far as I know – and I am always open for positive surprises and they all of a sudden turn up in team training but no-one told me that.
"The two of them (Van Dijk and Gomez) look better than Joel as he is still in what looks like ski boots. Joe is not running.
"Virgil is already running but this is a real tough one.
"We will be completely over the moon when they are ready to train with us for the start of pre-season but the Euros I didn't think about it.
"When do you have to be back to be ready to play in the Euros? The week before? The day the Euros start? I don't know.
"I understand maybe the need of that but we cannot make this decision and we will not. They will be fit when they are fit."
