Virgil van Dijk 'going nowhere' as Andoni Iraola feelings made clear amid Liverpool transfer rumors

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Virgil van Dijk has been linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer as he enters the final year of his contract at Anfield, but recent rumors have now dismissedVirgil van Dijk has been linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer(Image: Getty Images)Virgil van Dijk is “going nowhere” this summer, with recent rumors over the Liverpool captain’s future having been well and truly dismissed.Van Dijk has seen his name being linked with a move away from Anfield recently as he enters the final year of his contract on Merseyside. Reports in Turkey and Italy have claimed that both Galatasaray and AC Milan are interested in signing the 34-year-old, with some outlandish suggestions recently that he was closing in on an exit from the Reds.Liverpool has already seen two of its longest-serving players leave this summer, with Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson having both departed, while Ibrahima Konate exited at the conclusion of his contract, and has since signed for Real Madrid.Fans won’t have to worry about another of the club’s senior stars leaving though, with those reports linking Van Dijk with an exit having been ruled out.According to The Athletic’s James Pearce, the Liverpool captain is “going nowhere”, and is expected back for pre-season once he returns from his holiday.What’s more, the Reds’ new head coach Andoni Iraola is “counting on him” for the new season, with Liverpool not considering any offers for the defender as recent rumors have been described as being “wide of the mark”.Rumors linking Van Dijk with an exit from Liverpool have been dismissed(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)Van Dijk is currently away following the Netherlands’ elimination from the World Cup, with the Dutch having been knocked out on penalties by Morocco.Ronald Koeman, who resigned as the Netherlands’ head coach following the defeat, gave a slightly worrying update on the Liverpool captain as he explained why he didn’t step up to take a penalty during the last-32 tie."Van Dijk had already indicated during the match, in extra time, that his calf was bothering him badly," Koeman explained."[Crysencio] Summerville had a cramp.

So ultimately, it came down to who would take the fifth penalty, because at that point we didn't know yet whether Summerville would drop out or be able to take a penalty.Get Liverpool's new 2026/27 home kitThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn moreLiverpool FC have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27, inspired by iconic adidas strip worn during the club's 1989/90 title-winning campaign."Wout Weghorst was fourth on the list; due to this situation, he became the third taker.

If Summerville hadn't said he was going to take the penalty, Virgil would have taken it."As things stand, Van Dijk will be one of four first-team central defenders at Liverpool next season, alongside Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet, with the latter’s transfer from Rennes having been completed this week.Liverpool.com says: It would have been absolute madness had Liverpool decided to part ways with Van Dijk this summer. Even if Konate had stayed, it would have still been the best option to keep the captain on board.With just one year left on his contract, there is every possibility that this will be Van Dijk’s final year at Anfield, and he absolutely deserves to get a proper send-off if that is the case.