Virgil van Dijk set for international call up talks

Netherlands boss Frank de Boer is set to call Virgil van Dijk this week to discuss his participation in the upcoming European Championship


Liverpool defender Van Dijk has been out since suffering anterior cruciate ligament damage sustained against Everton at Goodison Park back in October.

Hopes have been raised in Holland that he could be available for next month's Euro’s after the defender posted a video earlier this month of him sprinting on the pitch at the club’s AXA Training Centre .

But speaking earlier this month, Jurgen Klopp confirmed Van Dijk remains weeks away from a return to full training, casting major doubt over his availability for the tournament.

He said: " Virgil's knee. I don't want to hold him back, but you cannot force it as well.

"If you want to play in a tournament, you have to train beforehand, proper football training - and not a week before but weeks before.

"You can't after 10 or 11 months out train a week and then play football, that is just not possible. It should not be possible.

"Nobody is holding him back, I can promise all the people in Holland that. But you can't force it, and we will not."

But De Boer, who will name his preliminary squad this Friday before confirming his 26-man squad at the end of the month, is leaving the door wide open for the centre-back to represent his country this summer.

"I think he has to decide, it is his career,” he told ESPN’s Good Morning Eredivisie show via Football-Oranje .

"I can imagine that he is in a dilemma. Can I mean something for Orange? I hope he has made giant steps in his rehabilitation."

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