"Could see him playing for a few years in the United States"- Jaap Stam backs Liverpool star to join Lionel Messi in MLS or consider Real Madrid move

Former Dutch defender Jaap Stam has tipped Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk to join Lionel Messi in the Major League Soccer (MLS) or join Real Madrid if his deal with the Merseyside club is not extended. The 33-year-old defender is in the final months of his contract with the club and is yet to extend his time with the English giants.

Stam, who represented the Dutch national team 66 times during his playing career that saw him feature for Manchester United and AC Milan, discussed his compatriot's future.

He told Sports Lens via Goal:

“If Virgil van Dijk leaves Liverpool then I could see him playing for a few years in the United States to see out his career, earning a lot of money. I could see Virgil van Dijk saying in Europe, If he goes and joins another club he will have new team-mates and his whole situation will change."

"The style of play will change and it could be a bad thing for his career to leave. Look at how it was for Lionel Messi when he first joined PSG from Barcelona. It’s going to be a very important decision for him and the club and I think that Real Madrid might be the only good option for him in Europe at the moment," Stam added.

Van Dijk joined the Reds in January 2018 and established himself as a club legend in the North West of England. The Dutch defender has played 291 games for the side, helping them to their first Premier League title in three decades, the UEFA Champions League, One FA Cup, and two League Cups.

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“Lionel Messi is the greatest to ever play this game" Liverpool star tipped with Real Madrid move picks greatest ever player

Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold has weighed in on who he thinks is the greatest player of all time. The defender, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, believes Barcelona legend Lionel Messi is undoubtedly the best player in the sport's history.

Alexander-Arnold has faced the legendary forward once, in his side's 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. However, he believes the experience was one of the best of his career.

He said to Goal:

“Lionel Messi is the greatest to ever play this game. There's just a different feeling playing against him that I've ever felt with anyone else. I think in many, many aspects of the game, he's probably the best at any given moment, he can almost do what he wants on a football pitch so for that reason he's the best.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold has spent his whole career at Liverpool, coming through the club's youth ranks to make 330 appearances and bag 84 assists and 19 goals for his boyhood club. He is currently in the final year of his contract with the Reds and is linked with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season in the summer of 2025.