Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool are in contract negotiations with Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool want to keep Virgil van Dijk and have offered him a new contract – yet the two parties are still a long way off reaching an agreement.
Like his team-mates Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, Van Dijk’s current contract is set to expire at the end of June. The situation has rumbled on in the background while Arne Slot’s side have taken charge of the Premier League title race.
Speculation has ramped up in recent weeks after Salah took it upon himself to publicly state his disappointment at the lack of movement. If there are no further developments over the next three weeks, then the trio will be able to discuss a summer free transfer with foreign clubs.
Slot has steered clear of commenting on the futures of three of his key players, but conversations are going on behind the scenes, with chief executive Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes taking the lead. The Athletic reports that an offer has been made to Van Dijk, who appears the most likely of the three to sign on the dotted line.
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However, there is still no agreement between Liverpool and their 33-year-old captain, with the opening offer falling short of his expectations. He is understood to earn around £220,000 per week at present – well short of top-earner Salah, who takes home a club-record £350,000-a-week.
Liverpool’s juggling act
Van Dijk has stated his desire to stay and Liverpool want to keep their captain, who demonstrated his importance with a brilliant performance in the 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday. So what is the problem?
First of all, it should be pointed out that it is common for contract negotiations to take some time. It makes sense for both sides to haggle: clubs need to balance their financial considerations and agents want to extract as much as possible for themselves and their clients.
Like all Premier League clubs, Liverpool need to work within profit and sustainability rules – and there have been suggestions they simply cannot afford to keep Van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold. The club have continually insisted they are relaxed about the situation, but crunch time is approaching.
Van Dijk is 33 years old and it is possible that the sticking point in negotiations is contract length, not wages. Clubs have been stung before by handing out long-term deals for star players, only for their form to fall off a cliff, so Liverpool may only want to offer their captain two years.
It is also worth considering where the information for the Athletic report has come from. Which side has the most to gain from leaking news of a contract offer for Van Dijk? Do the club want to inform restless fans that they are taking action and are therefore not to blame for delays? Or could somebody from the Dutchman’s camp be trying to get leverage?
Virgil van Dijk wants to stay at Liverpool beyond the summer
HAVE YOUR SAY! Which of the three players will stay at Liverpool beyond the summer? Comment below.
Van Dijk gave a knowing smirk when overhearing Salah discussing his contractual situation after the win over Southampton recently. Could the news of an offer for Van Dijk have come from the Egyptian’s camp, given he is trying to force the club’s hand?
Ultimately, we are still at an impasse. But talks of contract offers shows that the wheels are finally in motion as the clock ticks down towards the January transfer window.
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