Van Dijk admits replacing Mohamed Salah will be ‘tough’ as Liverpool prepare for next season

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has acknowledged that the impending departures of Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson will leave a major void at Anfield, insisting it will be “tough to replace Salah ahead of next season” as the club prepares for a significant summer reset.

Robertson and Salah are set to depart at the end of the campaign, with Sunday’s final Premier League fixture against Brentford offering a final opportunity for supporters to say goodbye.

The pair have collected every major trophy available during their time at the club, playing central roles in a sustained period of success under Jürgen Klopp and continuing into the early stages of the Arne Slot era.

Their farewell is expected to carry considerable emotion at Anfield, where they will also be joined in departing the club by Jordan Henderson and Caoimhin Kelleher.

Together, they represent a core group that has helped define Liverpool’s modern identity both on and off the pitch, leaving behind a legacy built on consistency, leadership and silverware.

Speaking to club media, Van Dijk reflected on the impact both players have had on his career and the wider squad:

“I think it’s pretty difficult to sum it up (what they have done for the club). Obviously in a good way, of course.

“They’ve meant so much to the club, they’ve meant so much to me personally, they have meant so much to all the successes that we have achieved over all those years.

“And obviously as the human beings they are, I think it’s tough to replace that, it’s tough to move on from that, but that’s life as well. They have been absolutely amazing to be working with, to be playing with, to be having around and I’m 100 per cent going to miss them.”

Salah’s exit comes after a turbulent period behind the scenes. He announced in March that he would leave Anfield, while earlier comments in December suggested his relationship with head coach Slot had broken down.

Over the weekend, the forward also criticised Liverpool’s recent performances on social media as the club continued to battle for Champions League qualification.

A victory against Brentford would secure a return to Europe’s elite competition, offering a fitting conclusion to the careers of two of the club’s most influential modern figures.