Liverpool’s No. 4 is part of the second wave of players to return to training later in the week, handed an extended break after his brief international stint and taxing 2021/22 campaign.
The Dutchman has certainly been enjoying his summer, recently pictured alongside Kevin De Bruyne and Calvin Harris in Ibiza before making the trip to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.
But pre-season will be firmly in his mind and he is getting up to speed in a popular destination for Liverpool players in Algarve, Portugal, at a high-performance campus designed for athletes.
Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have been visitors throughout the summer and now Van Dijk has made the same journey, this time alongside national compatriot Nathan Ake.
Van Dijk’s preparation work before he rejoins Jurgen Klopp‘s squad also coincided with Rangers’ pre-season training camp, ensuring he crossed paths with the Scottish side.
A video from Rangers’ social channels shows Van Dijk, formerly of Celtic, in conversation with manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his coaching staff under the beaming sun, which is scarce in England currently!
It’s a strong Dutch connection, with Bronckhorst and former international Roy Makaay both greeting Van Dijk and Ake after their session.
Van Dijk has been a frequent visitor to Algarve in recent years and will be ready for a full pre-season this time around having only made his comeback from his ACL injury last summer.
The 30-year-old will be one of 11 players to return to Liverpool this weekend for the flight to Thailand on July 9, making his involvement in the first friendly against Man United on July 12 unlikely.
