---
title: "Virals: Virgil van Dijk makes successful Liverpool pre-season return"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/virals-virgil-van-dijk-makes-successful-liverpool-pre-season-return/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "Liverpool News"
published: "2021-07-12T17:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-07-12T17:00:00Z"
---

# Virals: Virgil van Dijk makes successful Liverpool pre-season return

[Liverpool](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2021/07/12/virals-curtis-jones-sends-message-of-support-to-bukayo-saka/) fans got the boost they had been waiting for on Monday afternoon as [Virgil van Dijk](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2021/07/03/virals-twitter-frenzy-as-virgil-van-dijk-counts-down-to-pre-season/) returned to team training for the first time since last October.

The Dutchman has been [absent for eight months following surgery](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54745960) to a damaged anterior cruciate knee ligament.

Having trained alone recently following a [gruelling rehabilitation](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/431703-virgil-van-dijk-continues-rehabilitation-work-at-axa-training-centre) period, the 30-year-old joined a trio of teammates for the dreaded lactate test in Austria.

Pictured alongside James Milner, Takumi Minamino and another long-term absentee Joel Matip, the [club’s official Twitter account](https://twitter.com/LFC/status/1414580646203248642) posted images of the star.

> Twitter: The hard work begins again ![💪](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/svg/1f4aa.svg)
>
> \#LFCPreSeason https://t.co/frfuT0htRD (@LFC)

Van Dijk only managed [eight appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/virgil-van-dijk/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/139208) for the Reds last season before his campaign was brought to a premature end in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

As a result, Jurgen Klopp’s side struggled to a [third-place finish](https://www.premierleague.com/tables?co=1&se=363&ha=-1) and the Dutch captain was forced to miss this summer’s European Championships.

### READ LIVERPOOL VERDICT

This is what we’ve all been waiting for.

Albeit Klopp’s side missed Gomez and Matip in equal measure, there is little doubt their [‘Rolls Royce’ centre-back](https://www.goal.com/en/news/van-dijk-rolls-royce-kompany-milner-man-city-liverpool/1in7c4fb43qd1qixijycuuzm0) was the biggest miss.

Those three back fit and firing as well as the [addition of Ibrahima Konate](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/435628-liverpool-agree-deal-to-sign-ibrahima-konate-from-rb-leipzig) will surely see the Reds compete amongst the upper echelons once again next term.