Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has officially committed his future to the Reds by signing a new two-year contract, putting an end to ongoing speculation about his Anfield future.
The 33-year-old Dutch defender, who has been a cornerstone of Liverpoolās recent success, expressed his joy after penning the extension. āItās a proud feeling, itās a feeling of joy,ā Van Dijk said. āTo be able to extend it with another two years at this club is amazing and Iām so happy.ā
With this announcement, Van Dijk follows teammate Mohamed Salah in reaffirming loyalty to the club, offering fans a double boost as Liverpool inches closer to a historic English Premier League title.
Van Dijk had been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, but the towering centre-back dismissed the rumours. āIt was always Liverpool,ā he insisted. āThere wasnāt any doubt in my head that this is the place to be for me and my family.ā
Since arriving from Southampton in January 2018, Van Dijk has made 314 appearances and has been central to Liverpool’s golden era under Jurgen Klopp, winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups, UEFA Super Cup, and the Club World Cup.
His decision to stay adds further stability to a squad in transition, now under new manager Arne Slot. However, the future of star right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold remains uncertain. The England international, recently back in training after an injury layoff, is out of contract at the end of the season and is reportedly on Real Madridās radar.
With six games remaining, Liverpool lead the Premier League by 13 points and are on the verge of clinching their 20th English top-flight title ā a feat that would equal Manchester Unitedās record. The Reds could mathematically secure the trophy this weekend, should second-placed Arsenal drop points.