Virgil Van Dijk has privately been saying something ‘clear’ about his Liverpool future

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Liverpool need to get a move on as the contracts tick down on three of their biggest players.

The focus over the past few weeks has been on the Reds’ lack of activity in the summer transfer market.

However, the situations regarding Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold cannot be ignored.

All three are still absolutely crucial to Arne Slot. The new head coach started each of them during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Ipswich last weekend and they’ll be key to him as the season goes on.

Van Dijk will arguably be the most crucial of all. With Liverpool looking set for a third summer without an addition at centre-back, the 33-year-old is still the main man in defence.

Virgil van Dijk keen on Liverpool stay

As well as being Liverpool’s key figure in the back line, Van Dijk is also captain of the club.

The Dutchman was handed that honour when Jordan Henderson departed last summer and it’s clearly a title that Van Dijk takes seriously.

Having now spent six-and-a-half years at Anfield, the former Southampton defender is completely at home in Liverpool.

Nevertheless, the hard facts are that as things stand, Van Dijk will become a free agent in around 10 months.

There were rumours that Van Dijk was speaking to sides from Saudi Arabia this summer as he aims to protect his future. But according to journalist David Lynch, Virgil’s first choice remains to stay with the Reds.

READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp says there’s something he ‘knows’ about Virgil van Dijk as his contract runs down

Speaking on Anfield Agenda, Lynch said that whenever he is able to speak with Liverpool’s No.4 in private, he has said the same thing.

“He has made clear to us, every time I speak to him behind the scenes, he really, really does want to stay at Liverpool,” says the reporter.

“So, the desire’s there on his part and I guess probably an ability to compromise as well in terms of length of contract and what that actually looks like.

“He’s not the top, top earner either,” adds Lynch. “Obviously he’s amongst the top but he’s not Mo Salah levels so I think that makes it more work able for them in terms of negotiations as well.”

Will Van Dijk sign a new contract?

Liverpool’s inactivity in the transfer market coupled with these contract issues is making a lot of fans very nervous this summer.

However, it may well be that supporters simply have to be patient where the renewals are concerned.

It does seem as though the Reds are making moves in the last days of the transfer window. While that is ongoing, the contract situations are perhaps being parked.

With quite a lot longer in which to negotiate with Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold and Salah, Liverpool may get the window out of the way and then go all in on the extensions.

If that is what is happening, then we’d probably still expect Van Dijk to get sorted. But the longer it goes on, the less likely that becomes. Give the big man what he wants, Liverpool!