Liverpool has offered club captain Virgil van Dijk a new contract keeping the Netherlands defender at the club past the age of 33, The Athletic reported Wednesday.
Details of the contract offer weren't reported, but keeping Van Dijk at the club who continues to perform at a high level would be to the benefit of Arne Slot. Stability and consistently, let alone leadership at the back would enable Slot to not only contend for titles, but have a premier role model for potential signings.
Van Dijk is one of three modern Liverpool greats currently in contract limbo heading into next season alongside Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. David Ornstein reported the latter and Liverpool are holding conversations over a new deal, but the Salah saga has reached a boiling point.
The Athletic reported Monday that Salah is open to a one-year extension, but the club has not conveyed its position to the Egyptian. The star forward has voiced his frustration at the club's unwillingness to negotiate currently saying to the media recently that he's, "probably more out than in." Ornstein hinted that there could be some progress made with Salah soon.
While Salah and Van Dijk are on the other side of 30, both aren't showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. Still, Slot could want to bring in fresh faces to revitalize a squad. He's been credited with more or less picking up where Jürgen Klopp left off, but Liverpool also didn't reinvent the wheel in the summer transfer window save for Federico Chiesa.
The club can kick the proverbial can down the road given the team's strong start to the season and their contributions so far under new leadership, but at some point there will be turnover in the squad.
Alexander-Arnold is a curious case given rumored Real Madrid interest and his age. Just 26, born on Merseyside and knowing nothing but Liverpool soccer, Alexander-Arnold could be replaced by the emerging Conor Bradley. Defensive inefficiencies in recent years have drawn criticism with the idea of pushing him forward being toiled with. But, he's still a talented player and Liverpool through and through.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Liverpool Offers Virgil Van Dijk New Contract, per Report.
