Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam made his feelings about Liverpool abundantly clear during an interview with fellow Dutchman Virgil van Dijk.
After signing from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 1998 for £10.6million – a then record transfer fee for a defender – Stam spent three successful seasons under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, where he played close to 80 games and firmly established himself as one of the most imposing defenders of that era.
He departed the Red Devils for Lazio in 2001 with three Premier League winners medals and having etched his name into Manchester United folklore by being part of the team that claimed a historic treble during the 1998/99 season.
During that campaign, United won the Premier League title, the FA Cup and, most famously, the Champions League as they became the first and so far only English team to complete such a feat.
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They played Liverpool three times that term, winning two and drawing one, including a 2-1 victory in the FA Cup Fourth Round courtesy of two late goals from Dwight Yorke and Ole Gunnar Solskjær.
A quarter of a century on, it seems Stam’s feelings towards Liverpool have not changed all that much.
Speaking to Viaplay alongside his compatriot Van Dijk ahead of Liverpool's 4-1 defeat to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday, the 50-year-old was presented with a Liverpool shirt with his name and number on by the Reds player.
In the clip, Stam can be seen opening it and laughing, before asking, "Can we cut this?" to which van Dijk responds by laughing and shaking his hand.
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Such is his love for United, that shortly after Erik Ten Hag took over at Old Trafford in 2022, Stam even expressed an interest in joining the former Ajax manager's coaching staff.
In an interview with bet365 in September of 2022, he said: "I've never spoken to United – nobody phoned me about anything. But, like I said before, United is a club that I love.
"I've grown there as an individual. As a player, it made me stronger, it made me what I am now in my career. I made history with that club, which is very positive, so if they need me, or if I can help them out in anyway, I'm always willing to do so."
Featured Image Credit: Viaplay SportTopics: Virgil Van Dijk, Liverpool, Manchester United, Premier League
