Virgil van Dijk is set for continued talks with the new Netherlands national head coach, Xavi, after continued speculation over his international future.
The 35-year-old captained his country for the third time at a major international competition over the summer, though it ended earlier than anticipated after a round of 32 exit.
Ronald Koeman later resigned, and after first targeting Pep Guardiola and later Arne Slot, the KNVB appointed Xavi as their first foreign coach since Ernst Happel in 1977.
The Spaniard signed a four-year contract until the end of the 2030 World Cup, at which time Van Dijk will be expected to have retired.
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Dutch media have speculated this summer that the Liverpool captain could be dropped from the squad as part of a clear-out, but Xavi insists those decisions have not been made yet.
Speaking in a press conference, the Dutch boss revealed he has already been in touch with Van Dijk, but still needs to assess what role the 35-year-old sees for himself.
“Yeah, I spoke to him,” Xavi said of Van Dijk. “I will be in touch with him. I want to talk more about what his ambition is, his passion. Let’s see, but I need to talk to him.”
The former Barcelona manager added: “We will be in touch with the players, especially starting from the captains. I think they are a very important part of our team.
“So yeah, I’m already in touch with them. I already started the conversations.
“We need to monitor many players; we need to follow them, and so this is part of my job right now, and I’m already enjoying this.”
While it would benefit Liverpool if international fixtures were no longer part of Van Dijk’s schedule – after playing 69 games combined last season – the centre-back has yet to publicly communicate any change to his availability.
With a fresh start ahead of the 2028 European Championships, Xavi will be eager to discover whether Liverpool’s No. 4 sees himself at the tournament, as beyond next summer he is without a club contract.
The Netherlands will play their first competitive match under Xavi against Jurgen Klopp‘s Germany in mid-September, and at this stage Van Dijk will be expected to line up for the Nations League match.
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