'I'll Go Somewhere Else' Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk Puts His Future In Doubt

Liverpool has two long-time superstars out of contract at the end of this season, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker.

Both have been an ever-present part of this Reds squad from the moment they arrived at the club, and have helped win two Premier Leagues, a Champions League, an FA Cup and two League Cups.

So the thought of the formidable defensive duo departing Anfield in the near future would be a sad sight for many LFC fans.

The pair have been speaking early in this international break about their future and where they could be playing their football come the start of the 2027/28 campaign.

News broke recently surrounding the Brazilian shot-stopper's future, and quotes from Alisson made it very clear what he wanted to happen beyond this season.

So it is clear that the 34-year-old wants to extend his stay on Merseyside, despite links to both Serie A side Juventus as well as a return back to Brazil, with Flamengo expressing an interest in recent weeks.

But what does the future hold for Liverpool's club captain?

The Dutch defender has been a rock in the middle of the Reds' backline for the last nine seasons, nearly 10, with Virgil Van Dijk having played 389 games across all competitions so far in his trophy-laden Liverpool career.

However, father time waits for no player, and in the last year or so, people have begun to question the 35-year-old's ability to still play consistently at the highest level.

The number of mistakes that Van Dijk has made in the last 12 to 18 months has been more than the entire eight seasons before, and with the introduction of Jeremy Jacquet this season, the club are certainly trying to prepare the best they can for life without the experienced centre half.

And with Giovanni Leoni closing in on a return to full first-team training after over a year out with a serious knee injury, will Liverpool offer Van Dijk a new deal?

Here is what the captain had to say on his own future:

Virgil van Dijk has been Mr Reliable for Liverpool for so many seasons, and that means that fans hold him to a higher standard than they might other players.

For this reason, fans either need to accept a slight decline in the captain's performance and consistency, or Van Dijk should leave at the end of the season.

He is on mammoth wages, reportedly sitting at around £350,000 per week, a number that is very high for a 35-year-old who is only going to go down in value as time progresses.

So the club need to weigh up how much it would cost them to adequately replace Van Dijk next summer, compared to giving the Dutchman another blockbuster contract extension.

Comment Below: Should Liverpool Offer Virgil Van Dijk A New Contract?