Virgil van Dijk is set for showdown talks with new Netherlands head coach Xavi, with the Barcelona icon confirming he's expected to speak with the 35-year-old about his future with the team
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St. James's Park in Newcastle
Virgil van Dijk is facing crunch talks over his place in the Netherlands team(Image: (Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images))
Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk is set for showdown talks with Netherlands boss Xavi Hernandez, ahead of the first international break of the new season.
It comes as the Oranje is set for several changes, following a disappointing World Cup campaign that saw the side knocked out in the round of 32 on penalties. That saw Ronald Koeman lose his job as head coach, kickstarting a search for a new option in the dugout, with former Liverpool manager Arne Slot among those linked with the position.
The ex-Reds coach decided against it, and instead the Netherlands appointed Xavi, who had an elite playing career and impressed in his time as manager at Barcelona.
The Spaniard has been waiting for the right opportunity to arrive after that spell at the Nou Camp, and the move into international coaching has seemingly appealed to him.
It will see Xavi in charge of several Liverpool stars, including the likes of Ryan Gravenberch, Jeremie Frimpong, and Cody Gakpo, all of whom he could select for his first squad in the September and October international break.
Van Dijk is also in that group, though there may be questions about the future of the Liverpool and Netherlands captain, considering his age profile and the need to look ahead to the future at some point.
With those possible uncertainties, Xavi revealed that he has already been in contact with the defender, while he still wants to outline his ambitions with the national team moving forward.
Speaking at his unveiling, the new manager said: "I spoke to him [Van Dijk]. I will be in touch with him. I want to talk more about what his ambition is, his passion. And let's see. But I need to talk to him."
Virgil van Dijk during the Netherlands' eventual World Cup defeat to Morocco.
Virgil van Dijk during the Netherlands' eventual World Cup defeat to Morocco. (Image: Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
It remains to be seen whether Van Dijk will decide to stay with the national team moving forward, or indeed whether Xavi will continue to pick the star centre-back.
The 35-year-old has 96 caps to his name, and led the team to a UEFA Nations League final, a European Championships semi-final, and a World Cup quarter-final.
If he is available for selection in the upcoming international break, then Van Dijk's first game back for the Netherlands will be against Germany in the Nations League group stages.
That will see the Liverpool ace reunited with former manager Jurgen Klopp, who recently took up the role as head coach of the German national team.
It remains to be seen whether that will come about or not, with some big decisions to be made in the next month.