When Virgil van Dijk will return to Liverpool as Andoni Iraola faces defensive crisis

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Joe Gomez's injury has left Liverpool already having to dig deep into its defensive reserves in pre-season, with captain Virgil van Dijk still yet to return following the World CupVirgil van Dijk is expected back in training with Liverpool soon(Image: Getty Images)Just one game into pre-season, and already Liverpool is down to the bare bones in defense.Joe Gomez’s injury just 10 minutes into Saturday’s 4-2 win over Sunderland adds to an already worrying list of absentees, with the Reds having already been without four defensive options before kick-off in Nashville.Those problems should ease fairly soon, with Jeremy Jacquet rested as a precaution and expected to play a part in the final game of the US tour against Leeds, while Giovanni Leoni is also closing in on a return following his long lay-off, having ruptured his ACL on his debut last September.With less than a month to go until the 2026/27 season kicks off at Newcastle though, it’s far from an ideal situation, with youngsters Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe looking like they’ll have to be relied upon even more than expected during the remainder of the summer.To make matters worse, Ndukwe, who has only recently completed his move to the Reds, isn’t even eligible to play for his new club next season, and will have to head out on loan.As it has done throughout his eight-and-a-half years at the club then, Liverpool looks as though it is going to have to lean heavily on Virgil van Dijk once he returns - he won’t be in action in the US at any point though.Joe Gomez was forced off just 10 minutes into Liverpool's opening pre-season friendly(Image: Getty Images)Iraola revealed last week that the Reds’ captain is due to return to training soon. In fact, he looks set to report back within the next few days.Van Dijk has of course had a busy summer, having played at the expanded World Cup, although the Netherlands’ exit at the last-32 stage means that his time off is coming to an end.Unlike his compatriot Ryan Gravenberch, who has joined Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak in meeting the rest of their teammates in Chicago, Van Dijk will instead start his summer training back at the Reds’ Merseyside base, along with Cody Gakpo and Alisson Becker.Get Liverpool's new 2026/27 home kitThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.

Learn moreLiverpool FC have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27, inspired by iconic adidas strip worn during the club's 1989/90 title-winning campaign.“They will, in terms of dates of training, be very similar but they will start training at the AXA in Liverpool,” Iraola explained.“Because of different reasons, especially Virgil because he has been the player with most minutes in Europe I would say, and Cody for other reasons, they are going to start training basically in the same week as the others but instead of making them come here with the team, we considered that it was sensible with them to start the first week training with a small group or even with younger players that are at the AXA and join us when we [return].”Van Dijk will therefore miss the upcoming friendlies against Wrexham and Leeds, but will be available again when Liverpool faces Monaco back at Anfield on August 9. Iraola will just have to keep his fingers crossed there aren’t any more injuries in defense before then.