Liverpool agreement with Van Dijk ‘closer than people realise’
Liverpool centre back Virgil van Dijk remains the cream of the crop amongst defenders in the world. In spite of his age, 33, he has started every Champions League and Premier League match for the team, all whilst continuing to prove his qualities on a consistent basis. His contract, however, is in its final few months and is due to expire in June 2025.
The Dutchman’s renewal is an issue that has seemingly been postponed for quite some time, but a promising update has emerged in recent hours. TEAMtalk has exclusively reported that Van Dijk’s contract renewal is ‘closer that people realise’, as the player and the club have already held talks over a two-year extension at Anfield.
The finer details of the proposal are yet to be clarified, but the news comes as a major relief for Liverpool considering Van Dijk has several more years at the top level in his tank. Moreover, the former Southampton defender’s impact goes beyond the pitch as he is a capable captain and a well-respected leader in Liverpool’s dressing room.
It would be detrimental to the club if Van Dijk were to leave on a free transfer next year given that no effort has been made by the board to replace him over the last few years in spite of his age and an ACL injury he suffered some years back. To the contrary, the defensive options have been trimmed down after Joel Matip’s departure in the summer.
Van Dijk’s stay at Liverpool for another season will allow Liverpool with additional time to bring in a long-term replacement as they are already scouting the likes of Loic Bade and Marc Guehi. It would make the transition to a fresh defensive pairing including a new signing and Ibrahima Konate far easier if an experienced figurehead like Van Dijk remained in the squad.
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It will be interesting to see when there is official communication from either the club or the player regarding Van Dijk’s future, but developments regarding Liverpool’s willingness to hold onto him are certainly a step in the right direction.
