Arne Slot has admitted to being taken by surprise by Virgil van Dijk during his first training session with the Liverpool captain.

Van Dijk has once again shone for the Reds this season, having led them to a six-point lead in the Premier League title race, while they are also in the frame for the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Champions League, with a place in the last-16 of the latter already sewn up ahead of the final league phase game against PSV Eindhoven.

The defender will be aiming to add more silverware to his haul at Anfield, having already claimed seven trophies during his eight years at the club. With his contract set to expire in the summer, it could prove to be his final season at Liverpool.

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Slot will likely be hoping that isn’t the case. Despite Van Dijk not quite having the same reputation in his homeland as he does in England, the 33-year-old has proven to his new head coach just why he is held in such high regard on Merseyside.

"Everybody here in England would tell you that Virgil van Dijk is the best defender in the world," Slot told Gary Lineker in an interview for BBC Sport.

"In Holland, he got a bit more criticism than he gets over here in England. I was, in a very positive way, surprised how good he was on the ball and how he could play football through the lines.

"From the first day I was like 'wow, this is definitely another level that I'm used to'. But people in England were used to this."

While much of the focus seems to be on the futures of Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, transfer activity does seem to have taken something of a back seat at Anfield. With just five days to go before the January window shuts, it’s looking unlikely Liverpool will add to Slot’s squad for the remainder of the season.

The Reds boss though is comfortable with that, and has assured supporters that there will be some movement later in the year as he aims to keep his side at the top of their game.

"Liverpool should always be competing for a league title, we should always be competing for the Champions League,” Slot added. “I'm hoping I will be able to keep the club at that level.

"I know people sometimes question this because they haven't seen us doing a lot in the transfer market in the summer and now in the winter as well. There's a reason for that - because we're happy with the squad.

"But I do know we're definitely working on strengthening in the summer."