Liverpool fans will be delighted with their team’s results on the pitch this season, but three ongoing contract situations have left Kopites on tenterhooks as the end of 2024 approaches.
Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold all see their current deals expire next June, and as it stands they can be approached by non-English clubs in three weeks’ time.
However, all three have been offered new contracts by the Anfield hierarchy (David Ornstein), and the former two have been backed as quite likely to extend their stay on Merseyside (Melissa Reddy).
Van Dijk willing to sign new Liverpool contract
According to Pete O’Rourke for Football Insider, Van Dijk is willing to sign a new contract at Liverpool despite rejecting the club’s first offer, with such a stance cited as ‘part of standard negotiations’.
It’s claimed that there have been ‘noises’ from both the club and the player’s camp that the two sides are keen to reach an agreement which’d see the captain pen a new deal with the Reds.
Virgil van Dijk is reportedly willing to agree a new contract at Liverpool
(Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
First contract offer is rarely accepted
When Ornstein reported for The Athletic last week that the Dutch centre-back had turned down LFC’s opening offer, it was noted that it ‘fell short of his expectations’, although not to the extent of collapsing negotiatons, as all parties continue to work towards a possible agreement.
It’s common in contract talks for the club’s initial proposal to be less than what the player is seeking, and a first offer is rarely agreed upon, with the two sides instead adjusting their respective positions before reaching a mutually satisfactory compromise.
With O’Rourke outlining that Van Dijk is willing to extend his stay at Anfield, Liverpool fans can feel confident that it won’t be much longer until he accepts an amended proposal from FSG and commits his medium-term future to the Premier League leaders.
The 33-year-old continues to excel for the Reds – as per WhoScored, only one player in the Premier League has averaged more than his two interceptions per game, while just six can better his average of 3.2 aerial duels won per match – so keeping him at the club for at least another year or two would be a massive plus.
It should hopefully be just a matter of time before he puts pen to paper and we can all rest easy about the future of our captain.