Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk says the club’s revamped defense will need time to develop the understanding required to succeed, despite an encouraging first look at new signings Ronald Araujo and Jeremy Jacquet.
Liverpool closed their preseason with a 2-0 victory over Como at Anfield on Sunday, with both defenders featuring alongside Van Dijk. Jacquet started and scored the second goal after Cody Gakpo opened the scoring, while Araujo came on at halftime.
The match offered an early glimpse of a defense that has undergone significant changes ahead of the new Premier League season.
Ibrahima Konate’s departure to Real Madrid on a free transfer, Andy Robertson’s exit after nine years at Liverpool and Joe Gomez’s muscle injury have left the club short of experienced defensive options. Teenage center back Giovanni Leoni is also recovering from a long-term ACL injury.
That has placed greater responsibility on Van Dijk, who at 35 remains the senior figure at the heart of Liverpool’s defense.
Liverpool moved to strengthen the position by completing the signing of Jacquet from Rennes. The France Under-21 international, who joined after a deal was agreed earlier in 2026, has been viewed as a long-term investment for the club.
His preseason has been disrupted by injury, however. A dislocated shoulder suffered in February required surgery and ended his previous season, while another minor issue limited his involvement in Liverpool’s preparations. His appearance against Como was his first minutes since recovering.
Araujo provides a different profile. The Uruguay international joined Liverpool from Barcelona on a season-long loan on Aug. 10, with the deal including an option to buy for about 55 million euros ($64 million). The 27-year-old brings extensive experience at the highest level after more than 200 appearances for Barcelona, where he won multiple domestic trophies and had been named captain earlier this year.
Asked how he would develop partnerships with his new defensive teammates, Van Dijk pointed to the importance of competitive matches.
“By playing games. I won’t say it’s the only way, but games are totally different than training,” Van Dijk told reporters.
He acknowledged that communication could initially present a challenge, particularly with Araujo still adapting to English, but said footballers could quickly develop an understanding through experience.
“Obviously, Jeremy’s English is, I would say, a bit better than Ronald, but at the end of the day, we are all pretty good footballers and we can see and smell some moments, how to defend certain situations,” Van Dijk said.
“It’s pretty clear that you need to form a connection together and take a bit of time. But it’s, in my opinion, absolutely normal. Hopefully, we can get that going as quickly as possible.”
Jacquet’s goal against Como was an encouraging start, although Van Dijk noted that the 21-year-old understandably appeared tired after playing his first 45 minutes in months.
The Liverpool captain was nonetheless pleased with what he saw from both newcomers.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker also praised the pair, pointing to Jacquet’s ability to control space and Araujo’s physical strength while stressing the importance of having greater depth around Van Dijk.
Liverpool’s defensive rebuild comes after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign in which they finished fifth in the Premier League, a year after winning the title. The changes have given new head coach Andoni Iraola a significantly different defensive group to work with as he prepares the team for his first competitive season.
The challenge will be finding the right balance between defensive stability and the high-intensity approach Iraola wants to establish.
Van Dijk has already emphasized the need for Liverpool to manage their energy during matches rather than trying to maintain maximum intensity for the full 90 minutes. The improvement against Como, compared with an earlier preseason defeat, suggested the team is beginning to adapt.
But the captain knows preseason performances can only reveal so much.
Liverpool’s first real test comes Sunday, when they travel to face Newcastle United in their Premier League opener. It will be the first competitive opportunity for Iraola to assess his new defensive combinations under pressure.
