Losing any of the three players would be a major blow for Liverpool as they transition into a new era following Klopp’s upcoming departure
Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk has confirmed there has been ‘progress’ regarding discussions over a contract extension with the club, as his current deal is set to expire at the end of the season.
Van Dijk, along with fellow key players Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, are all entering the final months of their contracts, creating an air of uncertainty among the Liverpool faithful. The trio has been instrumental in Liverpool’s domestic and European successes under Jürgen Klopp, making the issue of their futures a pressing concern for the club’s supporters.
Speaking to The Athletic after Liverpool’s disappointing 2-3 loss against Fulham, Van Dijk was cautiously optimistic about his situation. “There is progress, yeah. I don’t know, we’ll see,” said Van Dijk. “Listen, these are internal discussions and we’ll see. I love the club, I love the fans and they were there for us again and we wanted to reward them. But I want them to be there Sunday again (at home to West Ham United) and make the stadium an amazing venue like always for us.”
While Van Dijk’s comments suggest positive movement, concerns remain about the futures of Salah and Alexander-Arnold. Reports have indicated that Trent Alexander-Arnold could be the most likely to depart, with Spanish giants Real Madrid reportedly interested in securing the services of the talented English right-back.
Meanwhile, the situation surrounding Salah appears more uncertain, with no reports suggesting that formal talks are underway for a contract renewal. Losing any of the three players would be a major blow for Liverpool as they transition into a new era following Klopp’s upcoming departure.
Reflecting on the team’s loss to Fulham, Van Dijk did not shy away from criticizing the side’s first-half performance, calling it “not acceptable.”
“It was a poor day at the office for all of us. There were individual moments that should have been dealt with better. It was not acceptable as a team,” he said. “First half, we scored a great goal, but we let them back into the game with sloppiness from ourselves and these things shouldn’t happen.”
Van Dijk emphasized that while Liverpool showed more urgency in the second half, the damage had already been done.
“Obviously second half we went one-v-one, we were trying as quickly as possible to get the second goal, we took a lot more risk. We tried to turn it around but unfortunately we couldn’t do it. On the first half, you can’t argue with the result. We have to take it on the chin and try to beat West Ham next week,” he added. Liverpool currently remain in the thick of the race for a top-four finish, but inconsistent performances like the one against Fulham continue to jeopardize their chances.
