Virgil van Dijk makes feelings clear on new contract as Liverpool delay continues

Virgil van Dijk has made it clear he wants to stay at Liverpool - but conceded his future is out of his hands.

Van Dijk will see his contract expire at the end of the season, alongside Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. There has been little public sign of progress on talks with any of the trio.

Salah revealed last month that he had yet to be offered a new deal, while Alexander-Arnold has moved to keep his talks out of the spotlight. All three will be able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with overseas teams from the start of January.

That does not appear to be a route Van Dijk wants to take though. Instead he has made it clear he wants to remain at Anfield as he bids to become the first Dutchman to captain a side that win the Premier League.

“I love the club, the club loves me. I love the fans, the fans love me and it is a very good foundation to be successful. In my opinion I can play for another three, four years at least at the highest level," Van Dijk told Prime Video.

"We will see what the future brings. It’s not about me but I would love to be the first one [Dutch player]. I think it is there. That is what we work for as a team.”

Van Dijk has been an ever-present for Liverpool in both the Premier League and Champions League this season. The Reds are currently sitting top of both tables, having lost just one game this campaign.

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They will be looking to continue their stunning form when they host struggling Leicester on Boxing Day. A win will mean they will maintain their four point lead at the top of the Premier League.

It has been a remarkable debut campaign under new boss Arne Slot. Van Dijk has kept hold of the captaincy under his compatriot, with the defender recently hailing his work since taking over at Anfield.

“I think the step from, with all respect, the Dutch league to the Premier League is a big one in terms of being a player, but for a manager, it is exactly the same," Van Dijk said about Slot.

"He has done very well so far, and he has, in my opinion, inherited a very good squad not only as football players but as human beings – guys who will go to war for each other – and I think he has been so far so good.

"He makes sure we keep working, are not satisfied, focus on what is ahead of us next, and keep improving. You see the patterns we try to do, you see, we can change in games or at half-time, and it’s obviously a big credit to him.”

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