Arne Slot has said he hopes to continue working with captain Virgil van Dijk "for a long time" amid continued uncertainty over his long-term Liverpool future.

A year ago the team were also still fighting on four fronts and Van Dijk scored the winner in the Wembley final to lift his first trophy as captain but it was not the springboard

In a wide-ranging interview with Gary Lineker, Liverpool boss Arne Slot says he was "surprised" by the quality of Virgil van Dijk's passing and discusses the Reds' season so far.

A seventh successive Champions League victory left Liverpool needing a point at most from their final game to guarantee top spot in the table.

Virgil van Dijk is an amazing player for Liverpool but it seems that everyone doesn’t necessarily share that opinion, something Arne Slot has commented on. Speaking with BBC Sport, our head coach discussed thoughts on his captain: “Everybody here in England would tell you that Virgil van Dijk is the best defender in the world.

With Alan Shearer naming Van Dijk as Liverpool’s most important player, a fair argument can be made that the defender is more crucial to the Reds’ game plan than the likes of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, the two other players currently set to leave at the end of this season.

Arne Slot has given his thoughts on all things Liverpool ahead of Sunday's FA Cup fourth round tie against Plymouth Argyle, having just secured a place in the Carabao Cup final.