Jurgen Klopp has no doubt: Liverpool made a huge statement about their ability to challenge the world elite when they signed Virgil van Dijk.
Little more than a year later, they are doing precisely that, with a potential 12 games that could define them as a truly great team.
The Reds boss though, believes passionately that the day the Dutch colossus signed, was the moment his club proved they could match the super-rich super-clubs, and compete on their level. A “massive statement”, he calls it.
“I was not surprised when the decision was made, but I was not sure before because I knew who else was in the race for him. It was a big moment for him and for us as well. It was a massive statement, that is true,” Klopp explained.
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“In that moment he was the most wanted centre half, maybe with Laporte and Koubaily as well, but in England it was for sure Virgil.
“These things are so important for us, so important, but it is not only him. When Virgil made his decision it was a fantastic day.”
As Liverpool prepare for their weekend of theatre, with the visit of Spurs one of those defining games in what they hope will be a title winning season, Klopp hit the nail on the head with his reading of van Dijk’s commitment.
The defender signed a five-year contract, despite interest from City, Chelsea and a whole host of other top clubs across Europe.
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At the time, there was huge surprise the Holland captain chose Anfield when he could have virtually guaranteed himself trophies with other, even richer clubs.
Yet as the centre half himself said before the visit of Tottenham , he chose Liverpool because he believed Klopp’s promise they would compete with the monied elite. And the Reds boss explained how he sold that vision.
“I told him what we wanted to do in the next couple of years and what the plan is, who we have, who we plan to bring in and things we want to improve. Obviously he listened and thought it sounded exciting,” he explained.
“I said pretty much the same to Gini Wijnaldum. Not that I always say the same things but it was the project we talked about and what we wanted to achieve in the future.
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“I tend to say the 100% truth. Sometimes it leads to a strange situation where the player thinks ‘That’s not for me’ but if a player has to fight for his position or not that much I say it in the first meeting.
“Then they are not surprised when they are in. It is all clarified from the start.”
The project has taken less than 18 months to reach the point van Dijk wanted, with the two biggest trophies within reach. City still stand in the way of course, but there is another honour within grasp, as he remains frontrunner in the Player of the Year race.
Klopp things there couldn’t be a more worthy winner. “Virgil is a fantastic player. At the end there will be a very very good player winning the competition.
“If it was a Liverpool player for the second time in a row that would be really big as well...another sign that things are going in the right direction.”
