Virgil van Dijk has final say on Liverpool's £228m summer transfer overhaul

Liverpool spent a whopping £415million in the summer transfer window and made a cool £187m in player sales, as Arne Slot's Premier League champions underwent somewhat of a transformation

Virgil van Dijk has saluted Liverpool's 'brilliant' efforts in the transfer market, and now the responsibility lies with him and his team-mates to 'create' another title-winning squad.

The Premier League champions signed nine senior players and offloaded 10 first-teamers in what was a record-breaking summer transfer window at Anfield. Liverpool forked out £415million on new signings and recouped £187m in player sales, giving them an eye-watering net spend of £228m. The arrivals of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and more prompted some to think that Arne Slot's side would be even stronger this season.

But after a perfect start in terms of results, Liverpool's disconcerting performances have caught up with them, losing their last three games in all competitions prior to the October international break. The likes of Isak and Wirtz have had teething problems in attack while the Reds' defence, in which Van Dijk remains the leader, has been porous.

But the Liverpool captain insists that the club's summer splurge was more about 'replacing' outgoing players rather than adding new faces to Slot's existing squad, and it'll take time for them to gel. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez were all sold, having each played at least 44 games last season.

"I think the club have done brilliantly in terms of the additions that we have made but they are not really additions because obviously we have lost so much quality that was so important over the last few years," Van Dijk told Reach Sport. "Lucho (Luis Diaz), Darwin Nunez, Jarell Quansah, Harvey Elliott; that's obviously a lot of quality that we have sold.

"We had to replace those and replace them with quality and we know the market nowadays, it is just difficult but the club did brilliantly in getting these guys over the line. Now it is time to work and create a very, very good team on the pitch to compete in every competition that we are in. That is the target."

The Dutchman added: "To retain the title after winning it is such a difficult thing. We didn't manage to do it after winning it last time (in 2020), Manchester City managed to do it but it is such a difficult thing."

Van Dijk also stressed that despite the overhaul, Liverpool must maintain their dressing room culture. The 34-year-old is nearing a decade at the club and few are more well-placed to speak to new signings about their identity.

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"The most important thing is the culture of the club, that never changes," Van Dijk went on to say. "That is the most important thing to keep at Liverpool. There are values at the club that everyone has to follow."

"It all starts with these values, working hard and doing it for the fans from all around the world and hopefully you can be successful. The quality is there but the guarantees are not, so you have to work for it each and every day, first and foremost, to do it in games.

"You know since I have been at the club, from the day I walked in, obviously with Jurgen (Klopp) as the manager and Hendo (Jordan Henderson) as the captain, the values that they showed me back then I wanted to keep carrying on.

"That is how it should be for the next few years and whatever happens after I finally have to go. There is the Liverpool way and that is the key and the start to our success I would say.

"Being the biggest club [in England] is definitely the aim from the club and definitely from us as players as well. We love to be [champions] and staying on top as well, but I think the Premier League is so, so difficult."

Cadbury Ambassador Virgil Van Dijk is celebrating Game Changers up and down the country and recognising those who offer small acts that make a big difference.