Virgil van Dijk: Replacing Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson at Liverpool Will Be ‘Tough’

Liverpool’s long-serving captain Virgil van Dijk has issued an emotional assessment of what the club stands to lose as Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson prepare to play their final game for the Reds, warning that finding adequate replacements for both players will be an enormous challenge.

Speaking through Liverpool’s official media channel ahead of the farewell fixture against Brentford on Sunday, 18 May 2026, Van Dijk was measured but clear in his tribute. “I think it’s pretty difficult to sum it up. They’ve meant so much to the club, they’ve meant so much to me personally, and they have meant so much to all the successes that we have achieved,” the Dutch defender said.

Van Dijk extended his praise beyond the pair’s abilities on the pitch, pointing to their character and presence within the squad as equally irreplaceable qualities. “As 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,” he added.

Salah joined Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017 and has since established himself as one of the Premier League‘s most consistently dangerous attackers. Robertson arrived at Anfield in the same transfer window, signing from Hull City. Together, the pair became foundational figures in one of the most successful periods in the club’s modern history.

Across their time at the club, Salah and Robertson contributed to a remarkable haul of trophies, including the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup — honours accumulated under both former manager Jürgen Klopp and current head coach Arne Slot.

The departures bring to a close a significant era at Anfield, with both players having served the club for the better part of a decade. Their exits come at a point when Liverpool are navigating a broader transitional period under Slot, who took charge ahead of the 2024/25 season following Klopp’s departure.

The Brentford match on Sunday is expected to serve as the official farewell for both players, though the club has yet to make a formal announcement regarding their replacements. Liverpool’s recruitment plans for the upcoming window will be closely scrutinised given the scale of the void Van Dijk has described.

Their exits follow a season that has not been without friction. Reports emerged in the latter stages of the campaign surrounding Salah’s public commentary on the club’s performances, drawing reactions from figures including Steven Gerrard and Gary Neville. Despite the noise, Van Dijk’s tribute underlines the regard in which both players are held within the dressing room.