Virgil van Dijk offers cryptic update on Liverpool future

Virgil van Dijk insists he remains “calm” about his Liverpool future, despite there being no progress in negotiations over a contract extension at this point.

The Dutch defender has entered the final 12 months of his deal at Anfield and is one of handful of senior stars offering potential headaches to Liverpool, alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah.

There had been suggestions the 33-year-old could follow former manager Jurgen Klopp out the exit door this summer but Van Dijk remains as committed to Liverpool as ever and stressed his future will not prove to be a distraction this season.

“I’m very calm,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports. “I want to play the best season I can, again. I want to be important and stay important for the club this year.

“Whatever happens next year, we’ll see. Everything happens for a reason, that’s how I see it. For now, there has been no changes in my situation, but I’m very calm about it. There’s no reason for me to think about something else because I have the whole season to play. Hopefully it will be a successful one.

“Whatever happens in the future, Anfield has a special place in my heart. And it’s been very successful. Let’s see what happens.”

New boss Arne Slot stressed ahead of his side’s 2-0 win over Brentford that he is focused solely on maximising Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold and Salah and challenged the trio to keep performing despite the uncertainty surrounding their futures.

“The only thing I can do is get the best out of them,” he told Sky Sports. “If we bring the best out of them and they perform really well then it’s up to them if they want to sign and us if we give them a new contract.

“The main thing for all of them, if you’re out of contract or not, is to get the best performance as possible and there is where I should and will help them with my staff, to bring out the best of them. Until now it’s been nothing but positive.

“Mo came back really strong in terms of physique, Virgil as well, Trent did the same and they brought in good performances against Ipswich which was only the first game. My main focus is not on contract extensions.”

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