Sports
‘Slot’s Liverpool will evolve, but he can build with Salah & Van Dijk’
Virgil van Dijk is more than just Liverpool’s leader on the pitch. He is also hugely important to the way they play under Arne Slot.
That’s why it’s brilliant news for the club that he has followed Mohamed Salah and signed a new contract to keep him at Anfield for another two years.
The pair of them are already Liverpool legends because of what they have done for the club, but they are going to be a big part of what happens next too.
There are still going to be some changes when Slot shapes his squad at the end of this season but it will mostly be a case of strengthening rather than filling the huge hole he’d have been left with if two such iconic stars had gone.
It is going to be fascinating to see what happens next but, with Van Dijk and Salah staying, Slot can build his team around them instead of having to replace them first.
‘The biggest reason Liverpool can pour forward’
Van Dijk allows Liverpool to play with a high line, and be aggressive in the way they play, because of his speed and strength together with his quality in the air and in one-on-one situations.
The team are less gung-ho under Slot than they were in the last couple of seasons under Jurgen Klopp, and now they tend to only flood players forward when they know they have got a better foundation in behind, if they do lose the ball.
Even so, Van Dijk can still get dragged out of position sometimes when their back four is unbalanced – for example when Alexander-Arnold goes into midfield and Ibrahima Konate has to shift across.
But he always looks comfortable – and it appears almost effortless when he deals with whatever situation he is put in.
He’s the biggest reason Liverpool can attack and pour forward with confidence, knowing they are not leaving the door open behind them.
Van Dijk makes it all look very easy and is extremely consistent too, so when he has a couple of shaky games, or even just difficult moments in games like he had against Everton and Fulham at the beginning of April, you always notice, but I always expect a big response to any mistakes.
When people talk about the best centre-backs of the Premier League era, he is obviously right up there.
If you could genetically engineer the perfect defender then you would build Van Dijk because on top of his physicality he can pass the ball brilliantly to launch attacks, and has this calmness about him too.
We often talk about when a player has composure on the ball, but what is special about Van Dijk is how composed he looks without it, because of his positioning and anticipation.
The barometer of an elite-level centre-back is whether they are in control of the striker they are facing, or vice versa.
It’s very rare that Van Dijk is not in control, in any game, and he gives Liverpool the platform to dominate their opponents.
How Slot’s system gives Salah more space
Salah has thrived under Slot and the way Liverpool play now definitely suits him, and makes him harder to stop.
One of the tweaks Slot made from Liverpool’s playing style under Klopp was to add an extra attacker, and now we see Dominik Szoboszlai playing high up the pitch in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
It means more defenders are drawn towards the other players, and that gives Salah more space than he had in Klopp’s 4-3-3 shape.
As a former full-back myself, I know the last thing you want in that position when you are facing him – and Luis Diaz or Cody Gakpo on Liverpool’s left – is to be isolated in a one-versus-one situation with them.
When they are narrower, they are running inside into more bodies and have less of an effect on the game, but this season Salah is being asked to stay very high and wide.
That’s partly down to Szoboszlai almost playing like a false striker, because Salah doesn’t want to congest that central space too much, but his incredible numbers this season show how the system works.
He has been quieter of late – his assist for Luis Diaz’s goal against West Ham on Sunday was his first goal or assist, other than penalties, since the end of February – but even during this spell where his form has dipped, you can tell Slot is reluctant to take him off because he knows if something falls for Salah, then more often than not he is going to convert it.
What is going to be interesting is the relationship he has with the right-back next season, whether it is Trent Alexander-Arnold or Conor Bradley.
Whoever plays in that role will know that Salah is not going to track back as much as he once did, which adds to their defensive responsibilities. And if the right-back is still getting forward as well, it means one of the centre midfielders and the right-sided centre-back will have to get across to cover more often.
Alexander-Arnold’s future is still uncertain and his exit would affect the whole team, but it would have implications for Salah, in particular, given the phenomenal dynamic they have down the right.
If he leaves, Salah is going to lose some of his supply line for chances too.
I look back at the first game under Slot, at Ipswich last August, when Alexander-Arnold plays that ball behind the defence for Salah to run on to and set up Diogo Jota. It looks so easy, but it’s not.
Durability is not a fluke
Some people pointed at the run of games in March and April where Salah did not perform well and put it down to his age – he turns 33 in June – but I don’t see that as a factor.
Like Van Dijk, who turns 34 in July, he has started every Premier League game this season, so durability is not an issue.
You can see the condition Salah is in from his social media posts, but you only understand why he is in such fantastic shape when you hear his team-mates speak about his approach to training.
I’ve listened to interviews with Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones where they talk about how Salah is always first at the training ground and how hard he works during sessions and in the gym.
So it is not a fluke that he is able to play all these games. He is prepared to put in the work off the pitch.
It is exactly the same with Van Dijk, and it shows their professionalism as well as their hunger for success. They have both won it all with Liverpool but they still want more.
We will probably see both of them rotated more next season, especially Salah, and they will obviously need replacing at some point – but it must be a huge relief to Slot to know that time has not come yet.
What is going to change?
It looks as if Slot is going to win the Premier League in his first season, although until last weekend’s results I actually was not too confident about that, despite Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table.
The team have looked exhausted in recent weeks, with lack of rotation one of the reasons for that.
It felt as if there was far more trust in the squad in the first half of the campaign. Since then, Slot has almost reverted to a certain team and they are starting to look a bit tired, and far more vulnerable.
I am certainly not criticising Slot, because to do what he has done with a team he has inherited is still incredible, but I feel he knows he needs to strengthen and that we will see the difference next season when he has the squad depth he wants.
Even when Liverpool have looked heavy-legged, Slot has hardly given a sniff to Elliott or Federico Chiesa in midfield or up front. He either doesn’t trust them, or feels they are not suited to his system.
It’s the same with Jarell Quansah. He was on the bench against Fulham but, when Konate came off, Ryan Gravenberch dropped back to centre-half instead.
Whatever the reason, it feels almost a case where Slot is getting across the line using this squad this season, and there are going to be wholesale changes in the summer.
It makes what he has done in such a short space of time even more impressive, especially handling the contract issues of three of his biggest stars at the same time too.
Source: BBC Sports
The Government of Ghana has provided a major financial injection for the Black Stars ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, releasing more than GH¢76 million to support the team’s preparations and participation in the global tournament.
The funding package, announced in an official statement on Friday, was approved through the Ministry of Finance and is intended to cover both operational costs and outstanding player entitlements as Ghana gears up for the competition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
According to the statement, a total of GH¢76,466,919.20 has been made available to facilitate the Black Stars’ World Cup campaign.
The largest portion of the allocation, GH¢58,929,500.00 — the cedi equivalent of US$5 million — has been released in advance to finance the team’s preparations and cover expenses related to the group stage of the tournament.
Government officials noted that the early disbursement is aimed at ensuring the players, technical staff and management team can focus fully on performance without logistical or financial distractions.
A further GH¢17,537,419.20, representing US$1.488 million, has been earmarked for the payment of outstanding qualification bonuses owed to players and officials.
The payment settles the remaining balance of an arrangement reached during the qualification campaign, where beneficiaries received half of their bonuses before qualification was secured, with the outstanding amount becoming due after Ghana booked its place at the World Cup.
The Black Stars recently concluded a training camp in Washington, D.C., before relocating to Providence, Rhode Island, where preparations have entered their final phase ahead of the tournament.
Under head coach Carlos Queiroz, Ghana will begin its World Cup journey against Panama in Toronto on June 17. The Black Stars will then face England in Boston on June 23 before wrapping up their Group L campaign against Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27.
The four-time African champions are making their fifth appearance at the FIFA World Cup, having previously competed in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022.
Ghana’s finest moment at the tournament remains the 2010 edition, where the Black Stars reached the quarter-finals and came within a penalty shootout of becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Government reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the national team and promoting sporting development across the country, expressing confidence that the timely financial support will strengthen Ghana’s chances of making a positive impact at the tournament.
The statement also encouraged Ghanaians to unite behind the Black Stars as they embark on another World Cup adventure, with hopes high that the team can produce a memorable campaign on football’s biggest stage.
Sports
2026 FIFA World Cup: Thomas Partey ruled out of Ghana group opener after denial of Canadian Visa
Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have suffered a significant setback after midfielder Thomas Partey was ruled out of the Black Stars’ opening Group L encounter against Panama following the refusal of his application to enter Canada.
The former Arsenal midfielder, now with Villarreal, had been named in Ghana’s squad for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico and travelled with the team to Washington D.C. on June 4 before joining the squad’s training base in Rhode Island.
However, Ghana will be without one of their most experienced players when they take on Panama at Toronto’s BMO Field on Wednesday, June 17.
FIFA confirms Canada’s decision
A FIFA statement confirmed that the world governing body had no authority over immigration decisions taken by host nations.
“FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana’s team base camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for their first match against Panama on Wednesday, 17 June, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government.
“FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”
The development leaves Ghana facing a difficult opening assignment without a player who has remained a key figure in the national team setup.
Legal case remains ongoing
Partey, 32, was charged by London’s Metropolitan Police in July 2025 with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He pleaded not guilty to those charges in September that year.
He was subsequently charged with two additional counts of rape in February this year and again entered not guilty pleas in April. The case remains before the courts and Partey has not been convicted.
According to guidance published on the Canadian government website, “if you have committed or been convicted of a crime, you may not be allowed into Canada.”
Focus shifts to the remaining fixtures
After the Panama encounter, Ghana’s World Cup campaign continues with a high-profile clash against England at Gillette Stadium in Boston on June 23 before the Black Stars conclude their Group L fixtures against Croatia at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on June 27.
Whether Partey becomes available for those matches remains unclear, with the Ghana Football Association and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada yet to publicly comment on the matter.
Christopher Ennin has reportedly informed FC Samartex of his decision to step down as head coach ahead of next season.
The young tactician has already submitted a formal letter of resignation to the club’s hierarchy, indicating his desire to end his tenure with the Samreboi-based side.
However, the management of the “Timber Giants” is yet to approve or finalize his departure, as they continue to review the terms of the termination.
Ennin was appointed midway through the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League campaign to turn around the fortunes of the reigning champions FC Samartex at the Nsenkyire Sports Complex following the sudden exit of their title-winning manager, Nurudeen Amadu.
The former Berekum Chelsea manager, who won the Ghana Premier League Coach of the Month accolade during his tenure, has decided not to lead the technical team into the upcoming football season.
While Ennin has made his intentions clear, the club’s administration is carefully studying the document before making a definitive resolution regarding contract termination or release terms.
This brewing technical vacancy leaves FC Samartex in a critical position as they prepare for the future.
The management will soon need to decide whether to look for a permanent replacement to restore stability to the team or hold further talks to find
Government reveals 76.4 Million Ghana cedis to back Black Stars World Cup campaign
2026 FIFA World Cup: Thomas Partey ruled out of Ghana group opener after denial of Canadian Visa
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