Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk has said he received a courteous phone call from Ronald Koeman last month.
The Reds defender has explained the former Netherlands boss called him up to tell him he was going to accept the offer to become Barcelona's new manager.
Van Dijk, who is currently away on national team duty, said he and his Holland team-mates were 'disappointed' to see Koeman leave - but has said they understand this was his 'big dream'.
The 29-year-old said: “We are all disappointed to see such a great national team coach leave, but we give him this wholeheartedly.
"You can ask each player in the squad piece by piece, everyone will have that feeling. This was his big dream.
"This time in which we live, the corona time with all the uncertainty that comes with it, the European Championship that will not take place with one hundred per cent with certainty, if such an opportunity comes along, I can understand it."
Van Dijk continued: “I didn’t try to persuade him to stay then. It was of course also coming for a while.
"Nobody expected it to have happened so quickly, but we are very happy for him. Now we have to move on.”
Dwight Lodeweges has taken charge as interim coach for the upcoming Nations League clashes with Poland and Italy.
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