Virgil van Dijk is on a collision course with Kop boss Jurgen Klopp over the Euros.
Klopp insists he wants defensive rock van Dijk to focus on a full pre-season with Liverpool before kick-starting his career again after a career-threatening anterior cruciate knee injury against Everton last October.
But five months into his recovery, sources in Holland say the strong-willed Dutch defender has targeted the delayed Euros for a comeback – and has far from given up on playing at the tournament which begins in June.
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Holland boss Frank de Boer has assured van Dijk he’ll save a place in his squad for the defender after being told by the 29-year-old star the Euros are still on his agenda.
Although van Dijk is running again and has stepped up his rehab, Klopp and his medical team are said to be horrified he might play at the Euros before he’s played for Liverpool.
Klopp is already on record claiming it’s “unlikely” van Dijk could figure before the start of next season due after such a serious injury.
But Erwin Koeman, brother of Barcelona boss Ronald, is convinced van Dijk will want to play for his country in the summer.
Koeman worked with van Dijk while a coach at Southampton alongside his brother and he says: “Knowing Virgil I can fully imagine how he sees this issue.