When it comes down to some of the most reliable figures in the Premier League, Virgil Van Dijk would be near the top of the list.
Since he joined Liverpool in January 2018, he has constantly found himself in the starting XI, and outside of an ACL injury he suffered in 2020, he has been the leader at the back for the Reds.
The highs of 2024/25’s league title success are now a distant memory after the season they have endured, having just edged Champions League qualification on the final day, and they would have missed out altogether if it weren’t for an extra coefficient place. Arne Slot’s side have conceded 53, with Bournemouth being the only other team in the top 10 to concede more last year.
While Van Dijk has been a part of that backline, he’s had a few poor performances compared to his other defensive teammates, though it means little when the club look exhausted and weak. It almost cost them in their 1-1 draw against Brentford on the final day of the season, with the Bees coming close to scoring in the final moments of the game.
Reaction following final day
Following the match, the Dutchman looked emotionally drained at Anfield, as he sat alone on the turf as the other players said goodbye to Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, then made his way around the pitch as their send-off before the summer break. The captain later took to Instagram, where he provided supporters with his thoughts and feelings from the season.
He said, “That’s a wrap, season with more lows than highs. It’s been a difficult season on and off the pitch, but we should take it with us and be better. Learn from it, deal with it and act on it. Thanks to our fans for the support through the good & bad. See you soon.”
He has a huge task for next season, not just for himself to get back to his best, but also for his teammates to. With the departure of not just two leaders, but two legends at the club, it really is an uphill battle for him that commences as soon as he returns from the World Cup.
With Ibrahima Konate potentially leaving to with his contract yet to be sorted, which expires in a few sort weeks, Van Dijk may be linking up alongside a new partner. They have already announced the signing of Jeremy Jacquet, who will join up with the team in pre-season, as well as Giovanni Leoni, who returns from his ACL injury.
Holding record and teammates stepping up
They will know that the captain still has the faith from Slot, after he set a Premier League record this past season, as he became the oldest player to play every single minute of the season, beating out John Terry, when he set the record in 2014/15. Just like the English defender, he has and will need to continue to step up in their time of need.
When looking at the Reds squad, the only other experienced player is Alisson. They remain the only two, along with Joe Gomez, that will still be at the club this summer that won the Champions League in Madrid stretching back to 2018, and Gomez is expected to also say farewell to Merseyside this summer too after spending 11 years at the club.
Dominik Szoboszlai is a name regularly mentioned who could make that step up into the leadership group. Though they aren’t simply selected, they earn that title by putting the team above everything else, and a few Kopites would feel that the Hungarian doesn’t match the bill. Therefore, it leaves the Dutch defender in a position where he will likely be playing plenty of games once again as he becomes a 35-year-old.
Virgil Van Dijk is the 𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩 player in Premier League history to play 100% of possible minutes in a single season 👑
Aging like fine wine 🍷 pic.twitter.com/e332pyLvAa
— LiveScore (@livescore) May 24, 2026
He may only have one more year left at the club, with his contract coming to an end next summer, along with the Brazilian goalkeeper, therefore not only do they have the job of taking the club back to winning ways after a tough campaign, but he must help players find it within themselves to step up to the role as the future of the club and guide the Anfield outfit towards more trophies as they have done in their time at the club.
ReadLiverpoolFC Verdict
Anfield is entering a massive period of transition, and Virgil van Dijk finds himself standing directly at the eye of the storm.
There is no sugarcoating it the season just gone was incredibly tough to watch at times. Conceding 53 goals is fundamentally un-Liverpool-like, and while the captain made history by playing every single minute of the Premier League campaign, it’s clear the physical and mental toll heavily weighed on him.
With standard-bearers like Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson officially departing, and Joe Gomez expected to follow them out the door, the leadership spine that built the modern era of the club has completely dissipated.
Van Dijk has just one year left on his contract, and at 35 next season, he shouldn’t have to carry this backline entirely on his shoulders. He needs help. Dominik Szoboszlai needs to step up and prove he can be a leading figure, because right now, the captain looks incredibly isolated in that dressing room.
The silver lining is the youth. Securing £60m starlet Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes is an incredibly exciting piece of business, and having a “beast” like Giovanni Leoni returning from his ACL injury gives Arne Slot the raw ingredients of a future world-class defence.
However, expectedly throwing 20-year-olds straight into the deep end of the Premier League is a massive gamble—especially if Ibrahima Konate’s contract situation isn’t resolved soon.
Van Dijk’s final task at Liverpool isn’t just about recapturing his own top form; it’s about passing the torch. He has 12 months to mentor Jacquet and Leoni, steady the ship under Slot, and build the foundation for the club’s next generation before he potentially says his own goodbye in 2027.