Virgil van Dijk remains uncertain about his future at Liverpool as his contract nears its end. The 33-year-old centre-back, along with Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, sees his deal expire in June, but despite ongoing discussions, there has been no progress on securing an extension.
Speaking after Liverpool’s Champions League exit to Paris St-Germain on penalties, Van Dijk admitted, “I still have no idea at the moment. Genuinely.” He went on to clarify that there is no clear direction yet. “At the moment I don’t even know what will happen next year. If anyone says they do know, they are lying to your face. Everyone knows there are some conversations behind the scenes but that is about it.”
With Liverpool sitting 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League, preparing for the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle, and until recently in the Champions League, Van Dijk was asked whether the contract talks had been put on hold. He assured that it was not the case, saying, “It is not on hold. Nothing on hold. Listen, there are 10 games to go and that is my full focus. If there is news, you guys will know it. I don’t even know myself.”
Liverpool’s exit from the Champions League came after a 4-1 defeat to PSG on penalties, with the Ligue 1 side’s 1-0 win in normal time cancelling out Liverpool’s first-leg advantage. The defeat followed a week that head coach Arne Slot described as “a week of finals,” which also included a vital 1-0 win over Southampton to extend their Premier League lead.
Despite the disappointment, Van Dijk is confident the team can quickly bounce back, with the Carabao Cup final against injury-hit Newcastle on the horizon. “You always have to learn from difficult moments. That’s life,” he said. “There were things we could have done better, but overall I am proud of the performance we put in. There are not many games left and there are two big prizes we can still get. We are going to give it everything.”
Van Dijk expressed optimism for the upcoming final at Wembley, adding, “We have to feel the disappointment, but if we bring this intensity in Wembley with our fans, then I am positive. I am always positive. We don’t need any added motivation. If you need any added motivation you are in the wrong business. I am really looking forward to being back out there.”