Virgil van Dijk was asked about his Liverpool future after Netherlands’ heartbreaking elimination from Euro 2024 on Wednesday night, and his response could strike fear into the Reds’ fan base.
The 33-year-old faced the media after the Oranje were felled by a stoppage time winner from England substitute Ollie Watkins in Dortmund, and he was asked about what lies ahead for club and country, with the defender now into the final year of his contract at Anfield.
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Our number 4 replied (via Voetbal International): “I have no idea at the moment. I will think carefully this summer about what I want at club level and as an international. Then we will go for it again, but first recover from this.”
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At surface level, Van Dijk’s response seems less than committal towards Liverpool, which may be a worry given his contract situation.
He’ll be on the cusp of his 34th birthday by the time his current deal ends, and he’s the Reds’ second-highest earner on £220,000 per week (Capology), factors which might play into the thinking of Anfield chiefs over the next few months.
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However, we’d consider it a case of the defender simply being honest in not knowing at this moment in time whether he’ll sign new terms on Merseyside. It won’t be until January that he can be approached about a free transfer elsewhere, so that still leaves plenty of time for an agreement to be struck with LFC before then.
Also, it must be noted that Van Dijk’s reply came in the thick of an immense personal disappointment over Netherlands’ Euro 2024 elimination, and in his mind he probably just wants to switch off and think about his (and his family’s) future after a full year of non-stop matches and training.
We remain confident that the Liverpool captain will sign a new contract extension, and that his time at Anfield isn’t approaching the end just yet.
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The post ‘I will think carefully…’ – Virgil van Dijk’s comments on his future may concern Liverpool fans appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.
