Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has taken steps to strengthen the squad's connection with the club's history with the players coming together for a special visit to Anfield

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has shown his class by organizing a team trip to the club's museum, with the players also posing for a rare group photo on the Kop.

In recent years, the playing squad and recruitment strategy have undergone something of an overhaul. Much of Jurgen Klopp 's successful team from 2018 to 2022 has moved on, with just a handful of players, including the captain, Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez, remaining. Many members of Arne Slot 's title-winning team have also moved on, and local players Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones both now play abroad.

Instead of pursuing players with a point to prove, like Mohamed Salah when he joined from Roma in 2017, the club has spent the last couple of transfer windows investing heavily in players regarded as among the best in their positions. Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak came through the door last summer, while a significant amount was also spent to land Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain.

The departure from the club's previous recruitment strategy has yet to prove fruitful, and last season produced a number of problems that have yet to be fully resolved. Among them was a disconnect that started to emerge between supporters and the playing squad, and it seems the captain is determined to address that this season and help his teammates understand what it means to represent Liverpool.

In a series of images shared on Tuesday, the squad was pictured spending time in the club's museum at Anfield to gain an even greater understanding of its rich history. The players also listened to a presentation delivered by members of the LFC Foundation to learn about the work the club carries out within the community.

Then, in an image shared more widely on social media, the players had a rare opportunity to gather on the Kop for a photo. Almost the entire squad was present, including injured players like Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley, although Hugo Ekitike was not pictured.

It comes at a time when Liverpool is once again undergoing a transition. Initially, Slot was tasked with overseeing the post-Klopp era and did a remarkable job as the Reds claimed a Premier League title in his first season.

However, Andoni Iraola is now leading the way, and although his team has yet to fully click into gear, there have been positive signs so far. In the Premier League, Liverpool's only defeats have come against Manchester City and Arsenal, while the Reds suffered a shock defeat against Fenerbahce in the Champions League a week ago.

That said, Liverpool currently occupies fourth place in the Premier League standings and is three points behind City. The Reds are four points behind second-place Brighton and trail runaway leader Arsenal by nine.

In the Champions League, though, Liverpool has won all but one of its four games so far and is still well placed to push for automatic qualification for the knockout rounds. It's something the Reds have achieved in each of the last two seasons, so they will be determined to do so once again.

After the international break, a tricky test against Manchester United awaits, particularly if Liverpool's rival undergoes a managerial change in the coming weeks. Then, before the month is over, the Reds have two tricky away games against Club Brugge and Everton.