Virgil van Dijk reportedly 'staying' at Liverpool

Van Dijk remains arguably the greatest centre-back playing the game right now despite his advancing age.

The Dutch colossus may be 33, though once again showcased his credentials when bullying Kylian Mbappe into submission as Liverpool secured a first win over Real Madrid since 2009 on Wednesday night.

Like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, Van Dijk is in the final year of his contract. All three Reds superstars would be free to forge a pre-contract agreement with overseas sides come January 1 if new deals aren't ironed out.

But according to a fresh update from Anfield Watch, Van Dijk will be the first of the trio to extend his stay by signing an extension.

The report led with the headline: 'Virgil van Dijk is STAYING at Liverpool.' It was then claimed Van Dijk's agent has already begun to inform interested parties that his client is 'no longer attainable.'

According to transfer insider, Fraser Gillan, a new agreement with Van Dijk was closer than people realised back on November 6.

More recently, Gillan was informed talks between Van Dijk and Liverpool were 'very positive' and that is reflected in Anfield Watch's update.

We understand the likeliest outcome regarding length of contract is Van Dijk signs a two-year extension.

That will keep the centre-back at Anfield until the end of the 2026/27 season, at which point Van Dijk will be aged 35.

According to various reports, between Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah, it was Van Dijk who was always the likeliest to agree a new deal first.

Once his deal has been officially confirmed, attention will shift to sorting the futures of Alexander-Arnold and Salah.

Liverpool are said to be remain calm about Alexander-Arnold's situation despite Real Madrid's obsession with the right-back.

Alexander-Arnold currently trails Van Dijk and Salah in the salary stakes, though the offer Liverpool intend to make will bring him in line with the club's top earners.

Even more encouragingly for Liverpool are claims from sources that Alexander-Arnold has made it clear he wants to captain Liverpool one day. That opportunity will come when Van Dijk eventually leaves, though that dream can obviously only be realised if Alexander-Arnold stays.

Regarding Salah, Liverpool sources are adamant that, despite his recent "more out than in" comments, talks are underway and will be moving in the next couple of weeks.

It's also key to note that sometimes comments are made in public to push deals over the line or persuade the other side of the negotiating table. There is a feeling in this instance that Salah's comments were designed to give Liverpool the hurry-up.

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