Here are the Liverpool morning headlines for Wednesday, September 2.
Van Dijk refusal led to questionable signing on this day
Ex-Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers recently claimed his side would have won the Premier League in 2014 if he had Virgil van Dijk in his ranks.
Rodgers’ team came within a whisker of securing the title at the end of the 2013/14 campaign, only for Manchester City to pip them in the final week.
In 2017, the current Leicester City boss claimed he twice tried to sign van Dijk during his time at Anfield, only for a move for the Dutch international to be blocked.
“I’ve got no doubt that if we had Virgil van Dijk in our back four that season we would have won the league,” he said.
"When I was at Liverpool I asked about Van Dijk when he was at Groningen and then at Celtic.
"But I was told he wouldn't be for us at the time."
Instead, the Reds opted to look elsewhere for defensive options, with Rodgers signing French international Mamadou Sakho from Paris Saint-Germain in a £15million deal seven years ago today.
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Reds U23 star signs new long-term deal
Liverpool Under-23 defender Rhys Williams has put pen to paper on a new contract with the Reds, after earning rave reviews on loan last season.
The 19-year old joined National League North side Kidderminster Harriers at the start of the 2019/20 campaign.
The England Under-18 international made 26 appearances for Harriers and their head coach Russell Penn was full of praise for the youngster following his return to Liverpool.
"He came in, looking the part, and you're thinking oh my God, he's Virgil van Dijk in disguise!,” he said.
"He's baby-faced, talks like a baby and everything, but I tell you what, he dived straight in, rented a house with four other lads and was a really big part of the club straight away.
"He played every game. He struggled in the first month and made three mistakes that cost us three goals but he held his hands up for all of them and I think that was the making of him."
Williams is expected to remain with the Reds this season, as part of Barry Lewtas’ under-23 side, with Jurgen Klopp keeping an eye on him for EFL Cup games.
Thiago’s future remains unclear ahead of 2020/21 season kick off
The ECHO’s chief Reds writer Ian Doyle has addressed the current transfer outlook - including speculation over Bayern Munich man Thiago.
Doyle took part in a fans Q&A looking into the latest gossip involving Klopp’s side, but he claims the situation over a potential move for the Spanish international remains unclear.
“I don't know (about Thiago). Which is not no. Nor is it yes,” he said.
“There's nothing new to say on Thiago that we don't already know.
“But it's a situation that can easily change - there is a long way to go in the transfer window and the nearer the deadline, the clearer the situation regarding fans coming back could be, and that could prompt a lot of movement.”
Doyle also claimed the club are not actively looking at Wolverhampton Wanderers star Adama Traore in the current transfer window, despite Klopp being a ‘big, big fan’ of the Spaniard, and admitted at least two of Xherdan Shaqiri, Harry Wilson and Marko Grujic could leave the club before the end of the window in October.
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