Empire of the Kop
·24 March 2025
Exclusive: Ex-Red names which player Liverpool should focus on this summer

Empire of the Kop
·24 March 2025
Liverpool are set for a busy summer of transfer activity and all eyes will be on who is brought into the club, though one ex-player has offered some advice.
Speaking exclusively to Empire of the Kop before Saturday’s legends game at Anfield, Gregory Vignal was asked which of the three players whose contracts come to an end this summer should be kept as a priority.
The 43-year-old said: “I think I would be more focused on Virgil van Dijk.
“As a manager, I like to look after my spine first and foremost. When I’m talking about a spine, it’s your goalkeeper, No.5 and No.6, then No.10 and a No.9.
“After you sort your spine, everything around there, you will find the solution.
“But these positions are so important. That’s my vision as a coach now, that’s my vision as a manager.
“And if I have to be focused on one player, I will be focused on Van Dijk for this reason because he’s my leader and he’s my leader on the pitch, but in a dressing room also.
“I hope that makes sense to understand what I’m talking about. But after, if he has to go, you have to say, ‘look, that’s life’ but of course I think I would be focused on Van Dijk.”
Our captain will be the top priority for so many supporters and only time will tell if that is the case for everyone at the club at the moment too.
(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
The Frenchman also stated that he thinks the Dutch skipper is 50/50 around whether he will stay at Anfield, meaning all we can do now is cross our fingers and hope.
David Ornstein has shared that he believes the club remain confident that a deal can be agreed for our No.4, even though the player keeps reiterating that nothing has yet been signed.
It’s going to be a stressful summer around the future of the 33-year-old, as well as what will happen with Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Let’s just hope that Arne Slot and Richard Hughes have done all they can in order to try and convince our best players to stay on Merseyside.
Keep an eye out soon for an extended interview with Vignal (and check out plenty more great content) on The Football Historian Podcast!
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