It feels like a lifetime ago that Liverpool was starting to build under Jurgen Klopp, with Virgil van Dijk revealing a rule he broke from the manager right before his debut
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool with Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool during a training session at AXA Training Centre
Virgil van Dijk broke Jurgen Klopp's early Liverpool rule once(Image: (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk revealed that he once broke a rule setup by Jurgen Klopp right before his debut for the club, in a discussion with former leaders Steven Gerrard and Graeme Souness.
The 35-year-old has been at Anfield for nearly nine years now, after he made the stunning switch from Southampton in the January transfer window of 2018.
The centre-back cost an astonishing $100 million, which caught many off guard at the time, with transfer prices not quite inflated in the same way they are in the modern transfer market. Despite doubts over the Netherlands international's transfer fee, he hit the ground running at Liverpool, and has since sealed his legacy as a modern great and eventual legend at the club.
The defender has won two Premier League titles, two League Cups, a Champions League, a Club World Cup, an FA Cup, a UEFA Super Cup, and a Community Shield in his time with Liverpool, and there is hope that he could add to that before his time with the team is over.
While he has overseen a few eras now, with the latest set to begin with Andoni Iraola in the next week, Van Dijk will always be most fondly remembered for his stint in the Klopp teams of old.
Virgil van Dijk looks on during Liverpool 2-3 AS Monaco.
Virgil van Dijk looks on during Liverpool 2-3 AS Monaco.(Image: Lewis Storey - Danehouse/Getty Images)
There are many players who will be closely affiliated with the German head coach, like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, but there was a feeling that the signing of the defender, along with goalkeeper Alisson Becker, was the tipping point that turned the team from contenders to winners.
At the time, there was plenty of anticipation surrounding Van Dijk's arrival, with his debut coming against Merseyside rivals Everton in the FA Cup.
It didn't take long for him to endear himself to the fans, scoring the winning goal over the Toffees at Anfield to book a place in the next round.
Before the game, the star broke a rule set out by Klopp, however, as he revealed in a conversation on All Red Video's show named Captains.
"We were not allowed to touch it before we actually won something," Van Dijk revealed when talking about the 'This is Anfield' sign that is present in the stadium's tunnel, which has been there for many years.
It left Souness and Gerrard stunned, to which he replied: "It was a rule from Jurgen, yeah. The funny thing is, when I made my debut, I actually touched it.
"Because I thought, 'I have to touch it', but then after our first trophy we won together, then we were allowed to touch it."
It's stunning insight into the early days under Klopp, and how he set the team up with the mentality to hunt after trophies with the same ruthless aggression that was seen on the pitch.
While those days may be over, and Van Dijk could be reaching the end of his time at Liverpool soon, he will be hoping to replicate some of that success with the new era starting this season.