Netherlands boss Frank de Boer has admitted Virgil van Dijk is recovering well from his injury but has placed doubts over whether the defender will play for Liverpool again this season.
The towering Dutchman has been out of action since October, but has been seen stepping up his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury in recent weeks.
That said, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp stated on Tuesday that barring a "miracle", it is "not likely" van Dijk will feature in the title run-in.
Klopp has remained suitably tight-lipped over the severity of van Dijk's injury, amid suggestions Liverpool are keen to play down a potential return date in the near future.
But De Boer's analysis now marries up with Klopp's, as he conceded van Dijk is in a race against time to even be fit for the Euros in the summer.
"It’s going to be close for Virgil," De Boer told De Telegraaf (via Sport Witness ). "He is working with so much energy.
"If you see what he does… In my time, you were only allowed to kick in the pool.
"If Virgil does not suffer a setback and if it [recovery] goes a little faster than expected, he must be able to make it to the European championship opening against Ukraine on June 13th.
"He’s very important to our team, on and off the pitch."
Liverpool have never put a date on van Dijk's expected return and have always been sceptical about him playing a part again this season.
Long-term injuries to Joe Gomez and Joel Matip have hampered Liverpool's options further, but the club added Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak to their ranks to help provide cover.
Asked about van Dijk's fitness at a press conference on Tuesday, Klopp said: "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.
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“If we have space [in our Premier League and Champions League squad list] 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.”
