Virgil van Dijk admits Jurgen Klopp’s shock departure is a ‘hard one to take’ as the Liverpool captain insists the squad are determined to ‘achieve success’ in his final months in charge

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted Jurgen Klopp’s decision to leave the club at the end of the season is ‘difficult to take’, but vowed to ensure the German ends his time on a high.

Klopp made the shock announcement on Friday that he will take charge as Liverpool manager after nine years.

Van Dijk became the first Liverpool player to speak following Klopp’s announcement, with the captain admitting on the club’s website that the news was difficult for the squad.

“It’s hard to accept because the manager means so much to us, to me, to the club and to the whole Premier League, I think,” Van Dijk said after the news.

“But he made the decision for him and his family. It was always going to be a tough task and that was certainly the case.”