'He needs to learn' - Virgil van Dijk offers advice to new Liverpool signing who CAN'T play for the club until next year

Van Dijk has been left thoroughly impressed by the impact of teenage centre-back Ndukwe, despite the 18-year-old's impending departure from Anfield. The Austrian defender, who arrived following a deal agreed with Austria Wien earlier this year, has been a fixture in Andoni Iraola's side throughout their pre-season schedule this summer.

"Obviously I saw the games in pre-season in America," Van Dijk said when discussing his young team-mate. "He's a big talent, big guy and he wants to learn and I had a brief conversation with him, especially in the last couple of days. For him it is just progressing. I know he has to go on loan I think so let's see where he ends up. Yeah [it's a shame he has to move on loan].

"I don't know exactly what the rules are, but the matter of fact is that he has to go on loan and wherever he goes, he needs to learn, get better and be ready when he comes back to hopefully stay there."

The primary obstacle for Ndukwe is the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) from the FA to secure a work visa. To qualify, players must accumulate 15 points across various performance categories, a threshold the teenager has yet to reach.

Despite these administrative hurdles, Ndukwe's stock remains high after impressing in starts against Sunderland, Wrexham, Leeds United, and Monaco. The Athletic suggests that the 18-year-old is currently weighing up strong offers from across the continent, with interest registered from clubs in the Bundesliga, Portugal, and Denmark. A move to a higher-ranked league would help the defender accelerate his point-scoring process to ensure he can return to Anfield in 2027.

Van Dijk also provided insights into other new faces at the AXA Training Centre, including centre-backs Ronald Araujo and Jeremy Jacquet. While the skipper has already warmly welcomed the Barcelona loanee to the club, he also provided an update on the sidelined Jacquet, remaining optimistic about a swift return for the youngster.

"I've not seen any of [Jacquet]. I've spoken to him. I've seen him walking around and we have conversations," Van Dijk added. "I'm not a doctor, so I don't know exactly the situation, but I have a feeling this week he could be back on the pitch, and hopefully as soon as possible."

Regarding Victor Munoz, who joined in a £34.5m deal from Osasuna, Van Dijk was quick to praise the attacker's explosive start to life in England. Munoz made his first appearance recently and has already caught the eye of the senior leadership group during training sessions. The skipper noted that the new recruit’s physical attributes have added a different dimension to the squad's attacking options during the final stages of the pre-season programme.

"He started [training] also on Wednesday," Van Dijk confirmed regarding Munoz. "He is very fast and it has been good to see the kind of quality he can bring to the club, and I think he had a great reception. It is just for him to carry that on to the next."