Virgil van Dijk may have a big role to play if Liverpool is to sign Kevin De Bruyne this summer, as the Belgian midfielder prepares to leave Manchester City.
De Bruyne has confirmed this will be his last season at the Etihad after a remarkable spell, that has seen City win six Premier League titles and the Champions League. He could add a third FA Cup to his collection too, should City defeat Crystal Palace later this month.
Speculation has been rife about where De Bruyne may end up and reports this week suggested Liverpool was in the running. According to Sky Sport Italia, the Reds have already tabled an offer to De Bruyne which would see him arrive at Anfield on a free transfer
De Bruyne and Van Dijk’s friendship has been formed despite the intense rivalry between City and Liverpool in recent years, led by Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp as the two clubs battled for supremacy.
In an interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap in 2022, Van Dijk chose De Bruyne as the one player who he had not yet played with, who he wishes he would have had as a teammate.
“I think he’s unbelievable. If he would have played at Liverpool we would have gone even further than we already have,” Van Dijk said. “I think he’s outstanding, good on the ball, pressing, scoring, he’s got everything as a modern-day midfielder and footballer in general. I think he’s an outstanding player.”
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Last year, De Bruyne returned the praise, describing Van Dijk as a Rolls-Royce. “He’s got everything,” De Bruyne told Sky Sports. “I know him well: he’s got right foot, left foot, speed, height, he’s a leader. Thiago is also amazing, but I just think Virgil has got that little bit more.”
Both players speak Dutch and English — not that they would need to speak more than one common language in order to communicate — and their children attend the same school.
Van Dijk and De Bruyne’s friendship seemingly blossomed out of a shared love for electronic music, and more specifically, Scottish DJ Calvin Harris. The pair have partied in Ibiza together during each of the last three summers, linking up with Harris on the Balearic island.
It remains to be seen if they will join each other during the off season but such a trip would only fuel the transfer speculation further. Whether or not De Bruyne is willing to accept a back up role at Anfield is unclear, but he would undoubtedly offer a wealth of class and experience to Arne Slot’s squad.
In his letter to City fans, De Bruyne wrote: “”Football led me to all of you — and to this city. Chasing my dream, not knowing this period would change my life. This city. This club. These people… gave me EVERYTHING.
“I had no choice but to give EVERYTHING back! And guess what – we won EVERYTHING. Whether we like it or not, it’s time to say goodbye.”
This article was first published in December 2024. It has since been updated.
