John Barnes says Liverpool have an easy decision to make over ‘immense’ Virgil van Dijk

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Liverpool icon John Barnes has hailed Virgil van Dijk for his ‘immense’ displays this season.

Amid a raft of injury issues this year, Van Dijk has remained a bastion of consistency in the heart of the Reds defence. Leading young players around him to hit great heights, the 32-year-old has been the model captain.

And according to the legendary Barnes, Van Dijk has been showing shades of former centre-back captains Alan Hansen and Sami Hyypia.

“His calming influence, especially in a defence flung together through injuries – he’s been immense,” Barnes raved via The Mirror. “It’s in many ways a throwback to some of Alan Hansen’s games. He never looked ruffled and that’s the case with Virgil van Dijk. Sami Hyypia was also a big player when you really needed someone to stand up and be counted but Virgil in that respect takes some beating.”

Barnes also weighed in on Van Dijk’s current contract situation, which is a little precarious. And according to the 60-year-old, it’s a ‘no-brainer.’ The big man has to stay.

“It’s a no brainer to offer him a new contract,” he says. “This season he seems to be revitalised and is thriving with the extra responsibility.”

Barnes urges new contract for Virgil

There won’t be too many Liverpool fans disagreeing with Barnes on this one. On this kind of form, Van Dijk looks like he could play on for years yet.

With the Reds set to lose the most important figure at the club in Jurgen Klopp, they need to do all they can to ensure other key men don’t follow suit.

There have been suggestions in the press that Van Dijk would be ready to leave Liverpool along with Klopp. Given that he’s arguably been their best player this year, that would be a ginormous blow for the Reds.

And make no mistake, there should be some nervousness over that eventuality. Come the end of the season, Virgil will have just a year left on his contract.

With Michael Edwards coming back to run football operations at Liverpool, the club is certainly in safe hands.

But Edwards has shown in the past that he is not keen to tie players over the age of 30 down to new contracts. In regards to Virgil, that will likely mean he either enters his last year before leaving, or is sold this summer.

From our point of view, neither can be allowed to happen. There are certain players that you simply have to make an exception for. One is Mohamed Salah, another is absolutely Van Dijk.

These are two players who are genuine legends of the game. You don’t let them walk out of the door for nothing. Both have shown that they have plenty more in the tank and Barnes is absolutely right, Virgil should be offered a new contract as soon as is humanly possible. He deserves it.