Former top flight star Garth Crooks has warned Liverpool if they do not win the Premier League title this season then they could lose Virgil van Dijk to Barcelona or Real Madrid.
Jurgen Klopp’s men allowed rivals Manchester City to reclaim top spot in the Premier League after they were held to a 0-0 draw during the Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday.
The Reds struggled to make an impact while going forward and eventually came up short of trumping their rivals at Goodison Park, owing to their insipid display inside the final third.
And on a night where Liverpool failed to be at their menacing best, Van Dijk stood tall in the heart of the defence and even made his presence felt in the opposition’s penalty area.
In the wake of Van Dijk’s immense display in the derby, Crooks has warned Liverpool could lose out on his services, if they do not win the league and then either Real Madrid or Barcelona make an approach in the summer.
The former Spurs star also hailed the Dutchman for his excellent display and stressed he was equally influential at both ends of the pitch.
“What a colossus this man is. In the white hot heat of a Merseyside derby, Virgil van Dijk was simply immense”, Crooks wrote in his column for the BBC.
“Whatever needed to be done was completed with composure and style.
“On a day when Liverpool's strikers looked more like the three stooges than the red arrows, Van Dijk took it upon himself to try and score the goals as well as defend his own penalty area.
“The problem for Liverpool is simply this; if they don't win the title this season the chances are Real Madrid or Barcelona will come knocking – probably both.
"And few turn them down.”
Van Dijk has won 133 aerial duels in the Premier League this term – the most by any Liverpool player.
