Liverpool want to keep Virgil van Dijk and have offered him a new contract, but the two sides are still far from an agreement.
Like his teammates Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, Van Dijk's current contract expires at the end of June. The situation rumbled on in the background as Arne Slot's side took control of the Premier League title race.
Speculation has increased in recent weeks after Salah took it upon himself to publicly express his disappointment at the lack of movement. If there are no further developments in the next three weeks, the trio could enter into talks with foreign clubs about a summer free transfer.
Slot has refrained from commenting on the future of three of its most important players, but discussions are taking place behind the scenes, with CEO Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes taking the lead. The Athletic reports that an offer has been made to Van Dijk, who of the three seems most likely to sign on the dotted line.
However, there is still no agreement between Liverpool and their 33-year-old captain, with the opening bid falling short of his expectations. It is believed he currently earns around £220,000 a week – well less than top earner Salah, who takes home a club record £350,000 a week.
Van Dijk has indicated he wants to stay and Liverpool want to keep their captain, who demonstrated his importance with a brilliant performance in the 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday. So what's the problem?
First of all, it should be noted that it is common for contract negotiations to take some time. It makes sense for both sides to negotiate: clubs need to balance their financial considerations and agents want to get as much as possible for themselves and their clients.
Like all Premier League clubs, Liverpool must work within the rules of profit and sustainability – and there are suggestions they simply cannot afford to keep Van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold. The club has continually urged it to be relaxed about the situation, but the crisis is approaching.
Van Dijk is 33 years old and it is possible that the sticking point in the negotiations is the contract length, and not the wages. Clubs have been stung before by handing out long-term deals to star players, but their form has hit the skids, so Liverpool may only want to offer their captain two years.
It's also worth considering where the information for the Athletic report comes from. Which party has the most to gain from leaking news about a contract offer for Van Dijk? Does the club want to let restless fans know that they are taking action and are therefore not to blame for delays? Or would someone from the Dutchman's camp try to gain power?
Van Dijk grinned knowingly when he heard Salah discuss his contractual situation following the recent win over Southampton. Could news of a bid for Van Dijk come from the Egyptian's camp as he tries to force the club's hand?
Ultimately, we are still at an impasse. But talks over contract offers suggest the wheels are finally in motion as the clock ticks towards the January transfer window.
Comments