Liverpool will bide their time with the Virgil van Dijk extension, with his performances this season the defining factor in any potential new deal.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are showing no rush to open talks with Virgil van Dijk over a contract extension. The long-serving veteran has continued to perform at the highest level so far this season, and his displays between now and the end of the campaign will shape the conditions of any new deal at Anfield.
Virgil van Dijk is widely considered one of the best signings Liverpool have ever made, alongside the likes of Alisson Becker and Mohamed Salah. The latter left the club during the summer, while the former is in the final year of his deal alongside the Dutch veteran.
The Dutchman has continued to perform at the highest level at the age of 35, and he will be 36 when the 2027-28 season begins. Van Dijk recently won his 100th cap for the Netherlands and has shown no indication of leaving the national team setup, as he believes he still has many years left in both club and international football.
For Liverpool, Van Dijk has made 380 appearances across all competitions, as Andoni Iraola considers the skipper vital to his plans for the current campaign. Liverpool do have a decision to make on the experienced defender, who will be free to leave at the end of the season, and there are already suggestions he could depart on a free transfer.
Are Liverpool planning a contract extension?
Liverpool are currently biding their time over an extension for Van Dijk and will wait until the end of the season before deciding. The club are eager to consider a new contract for the long-serving veteran should he continue to perform at the highest level, as he has done so far this season.
The experienced defender does not lack suitors, with Juventus reportedly watching him in action during the current international break. However, the bigger story is the interest from Real Madrid ahead of next summer, when Van Dijk could leave Liverpool on a free transfer.
The idea of playing for Real Madrid may tempt Van Dijk to make the switch, although he might give Liverpool the preference if the club shows signs that they are willing to extend. As was the case before his most recent extension in 2025, Liverpool waited until the summer before finding common ground with the long-serving veteran, and that may again be the case now.