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Groningen
Van Dijk initially struggled to get into the first team of Groningen with club staff, and believing he was “tired” after a huge playing time with the academy and reserve sides of Wilen II.
He made his professional debut for the club on May 1, 2011, appearing as a 72nd-minute substitute for Peter Anderson during a 4-2 win against ADO Den Haag. On May 29, and against the same opposition, he started for Groningen and scored his first professional goal, winning twice in a 5-1 victory over the UEFA Europa League play-off match.
During the 2011-12 Eredivisie season, Van Dijk participated in 23 league appearances for the Eredivisie team and scored his first regular-season goal on October 30, 2011, during the club’s 6-0 win over Feyenoord. He suffered a personal blow during the campaign, however, shortly after his 20th birthday, he hospitalized with peritonitis and kidney toxicity.
Van Dijk later revealed that he was very close to death due to a medical emergency and that the hospital was able to leave him so long that he asked to sign “sort of will” in the event of his death.
However, he returned to Groningen and continued to impress the following season. At the end of the campaign, and with Van Dijk’s club “expanding.” He offered to a number of major Eredivisie clubs, including Ajax, all of whom chose not to sign him. Instead, he joined the Scottish team Celtic in June 2013.
Celtic
2013–14 season
On June 21, 2013, Van Dijk signed with Celtic for about £2.6 million in a four-year deal with a 10% sale-on fee for Groningen.
On August 17, he replaced Effie Ambrose for the final 13 minutes of a 2-0 win over Scotland at Aberdeen at Pittodrie Stadium. A week later, he made his first start at Celtic Park with a 2-2 draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
In November, Van Dijk scored the first Celtic goal in the top of each half in a 4-1 win against Ross County. After a solo run, he scored the only goal of the win against St. Johnston on December 26. Van Dijk scored again on January 24, 2014, in a 4-0 win versus Hibernian for the Celtic-11th consecutive League win.
On February 25, Peter Paulette let off 13 minutes after losing 2-1 to Aberdeen for a professional foul. This is Celtic’s first defeat of the season. With Celtic already winning the league, Van Dijk led his team to a 3-1 win over St. Johnstone and won again on May 7.
In the 3-3 draw at the end and he was one of three Celtic players named to the PFA Player of the Year squad. Van Dijk nominated for PFA Scotland Player of the Year but lost to fellow Celtic player Kris Commons.
2014–15 season
On 22 July 2014, Van Dijk and Teemu Pukki each scored twice in a 4-0 win over KR in the UEFA Champions League qualification, leaving their team collectively 5-0 in the next round.
The first goal of his premiership season came on 9 November, from Stefan Johansen’s last-minute corner to end a 2-1 win at Aberdeen.
Four days later, his sixth goal of the season was enough to win a home game against Glasgow neighbours Partick Thistle. Vandy Dijk was on target again on 21 January 2015, triggering a 4-0 home win against Motherwell.
On 26 February, he was dismissed in the 32nd minute against Inter Milan for a foul at Mauro Icardi, As Celtic night, UEFA lost 4-3 in aggregate in the last 32 of the Europa League.
On 8 March, he was sent back to Dundee United in Tannadice Park for the quarter-finals of the cup. Eleven minutes later with a red card to fight Calum Butcher. His suspension for next week’s Scottish League Cup final was overturned on appeal, as was Paul Patton, who sent off due to a butcher’s mistake.
Van Dijk played the entire 90 minutes of the final at Hampden Park, which Celtic won 2-0.On 18 March, the third match drawn by Celtic against Dundee United, Van Dijk scored in the last minute to secure a 4-0 win in a cup replay.
On 19 April, Celtic competed in the semifinals of the Cup against Inverness at Hampden and inaugurated Van Dijk scoring with a fan kick.
He was shortlisted again for the PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year award but lost to another teammate, this time Stephen Johansen. In Glasgow, Van Dijk is reportedly “considering his future” following the Celtic scandal from the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League in Malmö, Sweden.
Southampton (2015–2018)
On 1 September 2015, Van Dijk signed a five-year contract for a reported £13 million transfer fee. Operated by Premier League club Southampton.
2015–16 season
He made his 12 September debut for Southampton in a 0-0 draw against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. Two weeks later, Van Dijk marked his third Premier League appearance for the club with his first goal, which came in the form of a title to put Southampton in front after a set-piece by James Ward-Provese in the 11th minute, a 3-1 win against Swansea City. Van Dijk signed a new 6-year contract with the Saints On 7 May 2016.
2016–17 season
On 22 January 2017, following the departure of José Fonte, he was named team captain of Southampton. That same day, he suffered an ankle injury against Leicester City. It blew him away from the 2013 EFL Cup Final, which saw Manchester United lose at Southampton Wembley Stadium.
After a successful 2016–17 season at Southampton, Van Dijk had a point of interest from Liverpool. Who, after clearing his interest in Liverpool’s move. Apologized to Southampton for an illegal approach to the player. On 7 August 2017, Van Dijk handed over the transfer request to Southampton and also issued a statement, emphasizing his desire to join a separate club in the transfer window.
2017–18 season
Van Dijk was with Southampton at the start of the 2017-18 season. He came up as a substitute late after winning 1-0 at Crystal Palace on 2 January. Appearing first after being injured in January. He made his final appearance for Southampton on 13 December 2017, after losing 4-1 to Leicester.
It was also his last appearance in the squad on the day of the match at Southampton. He dropped from the squad during the rest of his time at the club in light of speculation about his future.
Liverpool
On 27 December 2017, it was announced that Van Dijk would join Liverpool as a £75 million fee after opening the winter transfer window on 1 January 2018.
The former club Celtic will receive 10% of Van Dijk’s transfer fee due to the sale-fee on his Southampton contract. Southampton claimed that the undisclosed transfer fee would constitute a world record fee in football for a defender.
2017–18 season
He made his third appearance of the FA Cup on 5 January for Liverpool. And scored the winning goal with a header late in the 2-1 win Over local rival Everton. Bill White Doing this, he made his debut in the Merseyside derby in 1901. Becoming the first player after Bill White.
While Van Dijk and Dejan Lovren formed a partnership at the center of Liverpool’s defence. The Dutchman credited for improving Liverpool’s previous defensive issues. Despite playing exactly half of the season in the Champions League. Van Dijk included in the UEFA Champions League squad’s season, with UEFA technical observers saying: “Van Dijk has reached Anfield and provided security and stability in the knockout stages of the competition.”
Van Dijk played the full 90 minutes in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid. Which beat Liverpool 1-3. Van Dijk played 22 games in all competitions in his first season with the club, scoring one goal.
2018–19 season
On 20 August 2018, Van Dijk selected by BBC Sport and Sky Sports Man of the Match to win 2-0 at Crystal Palace. Van Dijk received the Liverpool Standard Chartered Player of the Month award for his performance in August.
On 2 December, Van Dijk assisted in a derby match against City rival Everton. Liverpool won 1-0 for the 96th-minute goal of Divoc Origins. Van Dijk set up the next error for Volley and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The Dutchman was last awarded the PFA Player of the Month for November 2018. On 21 December, Van Dijk scored his first goal in the Premier League for Liverpool. Winning 2-0 against the Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Dutchman continued his formidable form by winning the Premier League Player of the Month award for December 2018 for the 2018-19 season.
On 27 February 2019, Van Dijk scored twice in a 5-0 win over Watford. The next month, he scored once – the first goal of the Champions League for the club. And helped one more to win 3-1 against Bayern Munich.
In doing so, he became the first player after Craig Bellamy in 2007 to score a goal for Liverpool in a knockout match away from home. On 20 April, he one of six players nominated for the PFA Players of the Year award with teammate Sadio Mané. And Four days later, he named to the PFA Team of the Year alongside Liverpool teammates, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mané and Andrew Robertson.
On 28 April 2019, he selected PFA Player of the Year. Van Dijk selected UEFA’s Man of the Match after Liverpool’s 2-0. Win over Tottenham in the UEFA Champions League final on 1 June 2019.
2019–20 season
In August 2019, Van Dijk won the UEFA Player’s Award. He listed in the final three of the Best FIFA Football Awards on 2 September 2019.
23 September 2019, he is the best FIFA men’s player and runner-up in FIFA FIFPro Men’s World 11.
In October 2019, Van Dijk shortlisted as one of 30 football players for the Ballon d’Or. He finished runner-up behind Lionel Messi in the December event.
On 21 December 2019, van Dijk played the final against Flamengo with Liverpool to win the trophy for the first time in club history. After missing the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup semifinal in illness.