Jamie Carragher explains why Virgil van Dijk really ‘needs to be at Liverpool’ next season

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Despite their success this season, Liverpool have had the huge cloud of contracts looming over them.

Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk all see their deals expire this summer, leaving their Liverpool futures in doubt ahead of next season.

Salah has been tipped to leave the Reds, meanwhile, Real Madrid’s interest in Alexander-Arnold doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.

Van Dijk’s Liverpool future is also still in doubt with members of the Reds squad growing unsettled at the 33-year-old’s current contract situation.

With their all futures still up in the air, Jamie Carragher has told Liverpool which of the three players ‘needs’ to be at Anfield next season.

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Jamie Carragher claims Virgil van Dijk ‘needs’ to be at Liverpool next season

Carragher is a huge fan of Van Dijk, having recently labelled him as the best Premier League defender ever.

With that being said, the SkySports pundit believes the Dutchman should be the priority when it comes to handing out new contracts.

“Before he (Van Dijk) came to Liverpool when I was a player and just after I left, would maybe have a title challenge every five years, that’s what the numbers told you. A new manager would come and try build up to competing for the title and we didn’t win it. But when you look at those seasons and the games he played. The one where he does his cruciate, Liverpool didn’t compete for the title.

“Every other season there bar one, Liverpool compete for the biggest prizes and the one season they didn’t was the one where the World Cup was in the middle of the season, I think Virgil van Dijk played more football than any other player in Europe but he wasn’t just quite himself.

“That shows the transformation he’s had on the football club. There have been other great players there of course like the goalkeeper and Mo Salah. But when start talking about contracts, when that heats up again over the next few weeks and months. For me he’s the one, I feel needs to be at Liverpool next season more than anybody.”

Carragher recognises Van Dijk’s Liverpool importance

Clubs have been alerted by Van Dijk’s situation, with the defender’s future growing in doubt as the season wears on.

FSG however simply must prevent any possible exit from happening, with the Dutchman’s importance being unrivalled among the Liverpool squad.

Van Dijk has barely missed a game over the last few years and that trend has continued this campaign, with the defender being a constant in Arne Slot’s backline.

The Reds may be reluctant to hand a new deal to a 33-year-old, but Van Dijk has shown no signs of slowing down yet – remaining a key component of Liverpool’s domestic and European success this campaign.