Virgil van Dijk provides fresh Liverpool contract update after emotional moments

Liverpool's skipper Virgil van Dijk is about to enter the final year of his contract. He has spoken about the latest news on that front.

Van Dijk was the sole Liverpool representative in the Premier League shortlist for Player of the Season, having enjoyed a strong individual campaign. He looked less imperious in the run-in, when the team as a whole faltered, but has shown no real signs of personal decline.

However, Van Dijk turns 33 this summer. With Michael Edwards returning to FSG in a position of significant power, there is plenty of intrigue surrounding how the contract situations of some of the older players will be managed under this new regime.

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So far, there has been no movement on a new deal for Van Dijk. He confirmed as much after Jürgen Klopp's final game.

“At the moment there is nothing for me to say," revealed the Dutchman, via This is Anfield. "Nothing has changed and nothing is on the table either. No changes in my situation at all."

Under usual circumstances, this would be a worrying sign, with so little time left on Van Dijk's deal. But Liverpool has held off on all contract activity while the club has undergone a restructuring — Edwards has been busy appointing Richard Hughes as the new sporting director, while Julian Ward and David Woodfine have returned to the club in new capacities.

Talks may well open in due course, with Arne Slot now also set to be confirmed as the new head coach. Van Dijk has expressed an eagerness to contribute to the new era:

"There is so much room for improvement," he said. "So much room to develop, personally as players but definitely as a group in certain situations and it will be interesting, I am looking forward to it and looking forward to next season already.

"Hopefully we can be up there again and be consistent. That’s the main thing. We have to be together as a group and stay consistent."

Van Dijk was among those who were visibly emotional amid Klopp's farewell. He expressed surprise that the manager remained dry-eyed:

"My future is not important at the moment. The only thing I can say now is if I have a farewell I don’t think I would keep it dry because that was something I was very surprised with with [Klopp].

"These fans are something else and eventually when they say goodbye to you then it will be special. “Even with Joël [Matip], I said ‘How did you manage to keep it dry pal?’ He just wanted to walk through it quickly and stand with us so I think he did that pretty well.”

Liverpool.com says: Between his tears and his contract remarks, many will put two and two together and assume Van Dijk is off. But taking his comments in full, it looks like there's less reason to worry.

At the very least, he clearly envisages himself at Liverpool next season. Beyond that, it depends on contract developments, and the fact that the club has not tabled an offer yet is indicative of all the other things that have been going on behind the scenes.

With the backroom structure now more or less established, hopefully talks can begin. Sorting a new contract for Trent Alexander-Arnold will also be a major priority, and Liverpool will need to sound out Mohamed Salah's demands too.