Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has hinted that he may move away from the club this summer. The 33-year-old central defender’s future with the Reds has come under question since January. This came at a time when now-former manager Jurgen Klopp opted to step away from the team. The German’s final match in charge of Liverpool came in a Premier League victory on May 19th.
Following Klopp’s announcement six months ago, Van Dijk claimed that he was unsure if he would return without the manager. The center back, however, quickly backtracked his original statement. Ahead of Klopp’s last match at the helm, the Dutch defender asserted that he was “very happy” at the club. He even stated that he wanted to be part of the big transition at the club.
Nevertheless, Van Dijk has now reopened the door of a potential Liverpool departure once again. Not only did he suggest once again that he could leave the club, but he also hinted at possibly retiring from the national team. Speaking after the Netherlands were knocked out of Euro 2024 by England, the defender admitted he has a lot of thinking to do.
“I haven’t the slightest idea right now,” the veteran Dutchman told reporters on Wednesday. “I will think carefully this summer about what I want at club level and as an international player. Then we’ll go for it again, but first recover from this.”
“After a season like this, where all kinds of things have happened, it gets emotional at the end because you know it’s over.”
Despite his age, Van Dijk is still widely considered one of the top central defenders in the Premier League. Liverpool may have stumbled down the stretch during the latter stages of the most recent season, but it was not necessarily because of their captain. The veteran did not make an official error leading to an opponent’s shot during the entire top-flight season. As a result, Van Dijk was included in World Soccer Talk‘s Premier League team of the season.
Assuming he does want to leave Liverpool, the center-back will certainly receive attention in the transfer market. Van Dijk currently only has one year remaining on his current contract. Players can typically be bought for less money in these particular situations. After all, the Reds would likely prefer to sell their star this summer, rather than watch him walk away for free in 2025.
Van Dijk is, however, making a significant salary at Liverpool. According to reports, he is raking in nearly $15 million per year. This is currently the second-highest annual wage of any player in the squad. Only superstar forward Mohamed Salah supposedly makes more money than the club’s captain. Because of this massive salary, interested teams will almost certainly have to at least come close to offering Van Dijk a similar deal.
One particular club that could afford the Liverpool star is Al-Nassr. The Saudi Pro League side has been linked with Van Dijk for months now and is not afraid to splash the cash. It remains to be seen if the Dutchman would want to move to the Middle East, but the upcoming weeks will help determine his future.
After receiving a break away from the pitch, Van Dijk will return to Liverpool for preseason preparations. Meetings with new head coach Arne Slot could very well be critical in the defender’s ultimate decision. The fellow Dutchman will certainly want to persuade his captain to remain at Anfield.
Nevertheless, the defender potentially opting to leave would only compound the massive ongoing changes at the club. Along with Klopp and possibly Van Dijk, Salah’s future is seemingly up in the air as well. Like his defensive teammate, the Egyptian attacker’s deal expires in 2025.
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