LONDON – Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has shaken off a minor ankle injury sustained while on duty with the Netherlands and will be available for their Premier League visit to Leeds United this weekend, manager Jurgen Klopp said.
Knee surgery kept Van Dijk sidelined for most of last season and this year’s European Championship where the Netherlands were eliminated in the last-16 by the Czech Republic.
The 30-year-old sustained a knock from a late challenge in the 6-1 victory over Turkey on Tuesday, but Klopp played down concerns ahead of Liverpool’s match on Sunday.
“With Virgil, that was obviously a scary moment, you can imagine,” Klopp told Liverpool’s website.
Klopp said he asked Van Dijk to send a video of himself not limping, but added that the defender had assured him he was “200 per cent fit”.
“He called me from the team bus and said, ‘Boss, I’m fine.’ I said, ‘Why are you limping then?’ He said, ‘My wife asked the same.’ So, yeah, that was a bit of a tricky moment but apart from that, all fine.”
Klopp, whose side has won two of their opening three league matches, said Guinean midfielder Naby Keita was also fine after returning from the West African country where President Alpha Conde was overthrown in a military coup.
“I will have a chat with him, but from what I know from all the calls and talks we had, he’s fine,” Klopp said.
Brentford have signed Denmark defender Mathias Jorgensen on a one-year contract with the option of another year, the promoted Premier League club said.
Popularly known as Zanka, the 31-year-old arrives as a free agent following two loan spells away from Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce and brings with him English top flight experience having previously represented Huddersfield Town.
“We’re pleased that we could strengthen our squad and bring in a top quality experienced player to the group,” Brentford coach Thomas Frank said in a statement according to Reuters.
“This was especially important after Mads Bech picked up an injury.”
Jorgensen has played for Denmark 35 times and was in the squad that reached this year’s European Championship semifinals.
Brentford began their campaign with a 2-0 home win over Arsenal and drew their next two matches to stay unbeaten. They host Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
