Rooney Urges Van Dijk Not to Overstay at Liverpool as Decline Sets In

Wayne Rooney has issued a cautionary note to Virgil van Dijk, suggesting the Liverpool defender risks damaging his legacy if he clings to his Anfield career too long. The warning comes as both Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have endured a marked downturn in form this season.

Both players penned two-year extensions at the conclusion of last term, yet Salah broke ranks in March by announcing his departure at campaign's end. The Egyptian winger will leave as a free agent following Liverpool's decision to grant him his exit.

Van Dijk's performances have similarly deteriorated, prompting Rooney to weigh in on what he describes as football's most difficult realisation for any player to accept.

"Age gets to us all and your legs go," Rooney explained during his podcast. "That's what's happened to Salah this season, and Virgil van Dijk hasn't been the same. These are your dressing-room leaders, so when they're struggling, it's harder for others to step up and take that responsibility."

Rooney drew from his own experience at Manchester United, when Zlatan Ibrahimovic's arrival signalled the end of his starring role. "The hardest thing for a player is recognising you're not performing at your previous level anymore. I accepted that and left straight away," he reflected. "I don't necessarily think Van Dijk will go, but you've seen it happen—players hanging on past their best."

Salah will sit out Sunday's trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United after sustaining a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace. Yet Liverpool boss Arne Slot remains optimistic the winger will feature in the run-in, allowing him a proper farewell before joining Egypt's World Cup squad this summer.

"Mo always works incredibly hard to get fit," Slot said. "We're confident he'll be available for the final stages of our season. His injury is minor in that respect. When a player of his stature deserves a send-off, that's excellent news."