Liverpool Makes Offer to Renew Virgil van Dijk’s Contract

Liverpool has made an offer to extend Virgil van Dijk’s contract in an attempt to resolve uncertainty about his future by tying the Dutch defender to a new deal, according to The Athletic.

Van Dijk is one of three key players, along with Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contracts are set to expire in the summer.

Their situations have become a subject of intense discussion. Salah (32) recently stated that he has not received any offers to extend his stay at Anfield. This remained true even after the 2-0 victory over Manchester City on Sunday, although that is expected to change soon.

In contrast, negotiations with Van Dijk have seen Liverpool present an initial offer to keep the 33-year-old player beyond June, although it has not met his expectations, and no progress has been made regarding the value or length of the extension.

Discussions have been ongoing for some time and continue, as all three players have played key roles in the team’s excellent start to the season under coach Arne Slot.

Their impressive performances indicate that these contract discussions have not affected their on-field performances.

Talks are still ongoing with Alexander-Arnold (26), a graduate of the club’s academy, who is in a different situation from the others. The right-back has attracted documented interest from Real Madrid, but, like his teammates, it remains unclear how the situation will evolve.

Van Dijk has raised his game to another level this season, continuing to deliver outstanding performances at center-back.

He is one of only three Liverpool players, along with Salah and Ryan Gravenberch, who have started in every Premier League and Champions League match.

After a busy summer playing every minute for the Netherlands in their Euro 2024 semifinal run, Van Dijk participated in just nine days of training under the new coach Arne Slot before the season began, but he quickly adapted to the new style of play.

The center-back now plays a larger role in building Liverpool’s attacks from defense, a challenge he enjoys. He has completed more successful passes (957 passes) than any other player in the Premier League by a large margin and is ranked third among center-backs for passes in the final third.

His positive attitude in training and leadership on the field are also key traits he possesses. Slot admitted that even he was surprised by how much Van Dijk leads in daily training sessions and recognizes his ongoing importance.

However, it is his defensive solidity that remains his greatest strength. Van Dijk reads the game wonderfully, covers his teammates effectively, and is the main reason Liverpool has conceded only 9 goals in 18 matches in the Premier League and the Champions League, the fewest in all competitions.