Virgil Van Dijk has not been as excellent as before since his return from an ACL injury. However, although his current form is only about 80% compared to his peak, the Dutch star is still the world's leading center back.
Van Dijk is an irreplaceable pillar for The Kop, so of course the team and fans want to keep him. Not only that, if Van Dijk is sacked after this season, the Anfield team cannot find a worthy replacement.
One of the reasons why Van Dijk's extension negotiations with Liverpool were delayed was the disruption in the upper house. Jurgen Klopp left and left the captaincy to Arne Slot. Meanwhile, sporting director Richard Hughes is just on duty. These are two figures who have almost directly decided Van Dijk's future, but both are new.
Compared to Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who are also in the final year of their contracts, Virgil van Dijk's case is the easiest to handle but is not done yet. It is not ruled out that one of these three pillars or the worst of all three will leave Anfield in the near future.
Why is it easier to handle Van Dijk's case? Unlike his two teammates above, the 33-year-old central defender said "no change" every time asked about his future. Van Dijk wants to continue to stick with it to seek more titles in Liverpool's shirt. When their players have shown their love for such a big team, the board should also take early action to avoid everything from pink turning to gray.
Van Dijk has therefore been less sought after by other teams, unlike Salah and Alexander-Arnold. Therefore, if they make a reasonable offer, Liverpool can continue to accompany this classy centre-back. Even if the proposal is made in January 2025, everything can still come to the desired results.
Liverpool broke away from Van Dijk when the centre-back became the first player to sign a three-year extension in his 30s. The Merseyside side could be calculating in the summer of next year, when Van Dijk is 34 years old, how much will the star's value on and off the pitch be. However, if he re-signs, Van Dijk could only receive a 1-year contract.
The owners of fenway Sports Group will not change their view of prioritizing the club's youth, thereby helping Liverpool to be financially sustainable. They always believe that it is never commensurate to spend a large sum of money on a player who has reached the other side of his career.
In terms of expertise, Van Dijk still shows that he can meet the requirements, at least until the end of this season. The proof is the most recent victory against Ipswich Town of The Kop in the opening day of the Premier League. The Dutch midfielder still controls the defense very firmly. In addition, he was also the one who launched some good attacks for the home team.
No other central defenders in the current Liverpool squad have the full qualities of Van Dijk. Some are tall but slow and cannot read situations well. High-speed players often have incorrect positions and poor head-to-head strength. It has been a long time since a central defender like Van Dijk has emerged, gathering all his skills to become a steel shield in front of the defense.
For now, when Arne Slot has not yet stabilized his squad, he was forced to bet on Van Dijk in the first few months. When the winter transfer window opens, Slot and Hughes will take the next steps to match the 33-year-old star's form and role. Liverpool should also soon find someone to prevent Van Dijk from leaving in the summer of 2025, they will not fall into the penalty area.
