New contract talks for Liverpool standard-setter Virgil van Dijk should start soon
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As Andoni Iraola applauded ferociously from the touchline, Abdul Fattawu threw both his arms up in the air and looked to the heavens.Virgil van Dijk had just pulled off a remarkably calm piece of skill to take the ball on his chest, evade the Ipswich Town winger and find Milos Kerkez with a nonchalant side of the foot pass to set Liverpool on their way in attack, leaving Fattawu to wonder quite what he had just witnessed.It was a standout moment from another purring performance from Van Dijk, who stood out to earn the Reds a first Premier League clean sheet for 14 matches at Portman Road on Friday. How should Andoni Iraola now manage Liverpool’s right-back situation moving forward?
Ronald Araujo was SUPERB against Ipswich Photo Credit: Getty Images/Liverpool FC While the Liverpool captain will take no pride in that particular statistic, Friday’s display was more confirmation that despite playing more football than anyone in Europe’s top five leagues last season, Van Dijk remains the standard-setter.Just as he was two seasons ago, the Dutchman is entering the final year of his contract, and – just like in 24/25 – he looks set to meet it head on and make it impossible for Liverpool not to sign him up again.No time to waste in Van Dijk contract talksBack in 2024, Liverpool allowed Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah to enter the final two months of their contracts before finally tying them both to extension.Negotiations seemed to be going on for quite some time as Liverpool decided quite whether the two veterans were worth the asking priceREAD MORE: Reminder: The conditions Liverpool can meet to permanently sign Ronald Araujo from BarcelonaWith Salah now gone, Van Dijk is out on his own as the club’s top earner, and that should potentially make it easier for Liverpool this time. There is only one decision to make over an ageing superstar, not two.What also helps is that Van Dijk still looks as good as he did when the Reds handed him his latest extension.Photo by Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty ImagesFriday was the latest reminder, but the 35-year-old has been excellent in all three of Liverpool’s Premier League matches so far.Duels have always been his bread and butter, and Van Dijk once again sits right at the top of the division so far when it comes to success rate.He has won 15 ground duels so far, 78.9% of those he has contested, which is a Premier League high in 2026/27.Aerially Van Dijk has been dominant again as well, if slightly less so, winning 10 battles in the air so far, putting him in the top 25% of Premier League centre-backs.That number will no doubt improve over the coming weeks and months, with Van Dijk also topping the charts in terms of recoveries (18) and accurate long balls (20).
What did you think of Bradley Barcola’s Liverpool debut against Ipswich? The Frenchman could get his first start against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday Photo Credit: Getty Images/Liverpool FC No Liverpool fan needs statistics to tell them that their skipper is still the absolute best around, and though the Reds have recruited well for the next generation, they still need Van Dijk as much as ever.His importance to this Liverpool team is arguably even greater than it was two years ago, and to avoid any doubt about where he will be playing his football next season, the Reds have to make Van Dijk feel wanted and get him on board again as soon as possible.Like they ultimately did with Salah, Liverpool can still pivot midway through a new contract if it turns out that the Netherlands veteran is no longer at a standard they deem beneficial to them, but for now Van Dijk does not look like being anywhere close to that juncture.As a result, Liverpool must not wait.