Virgil van Dijk already has plan in place for when new Liverpool contract runs out

Virgil van Dijk has signed up for another two years at – but is actually hoping to stay with the club for even longer. Liverpool confirmed on Thursday that had put pen to paper on .

The 33-year-old centre-back has been with the club since January 2018 and has captained the Reds since the summer of 2023. He has won the , , , Carabao Cup and Club World Cup over the last seven years with Liverpool and, with another league title arriving soon, .

“I’m very happy, very proud,” Van Dijk said. “There are so many emotions obviously that go through my head right now speaking about it. It’s a proud feeling, it’s a feeling of joy. It’s just incredible. The journey I’ve had so far in my career, to be able to extend it with another two years at this club is amazing and I’m so happy.

"It was always Liverpool. That was the case. It was always in my head, it was always the plan and it was always Liverpool. There wasn’t any doubt in my head that this is the place to be for me and my family.

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"I’m one of Liverpool. Someone called me the other day an adopted Scouser – I’m really proud to hear these things, it gives me a great feeling.”

Van Dijk’s contract extension, which is on similar terms to his last one and is worth , was first proposed back in February 2024 in the wake of the announcement that would be leaving at the end of the season. Fenway Sports Group supremo Mike Gordon made contact with Van Dijk’s agent, Neil Fewings, to make it clear that the club would like to keep him on board beyond June 2025, when his previous deal was due to expire.

It has taken this long to come to fruition largely due to the amount of movement behind the scenes at Liverpool, with replacing Klopp, Michael Edwards returning to FSG and Richard Hughes becoming sporting director.

HAVE YOUR SAY! How long can Virgil van Dijk maintain the same performance level? .

Van Dijk has always wanted to stay put at Liverpool and reports that he is keen to earn another deal in the coming years. He will be nearly 36 by the time the new contract expires, but is convinced he can continue playing at the highest level for a long time.

The report points to his professionalism and use of ice baths and a cryotherapy chamber to aid his recovery. Leaving aside the 2020/21 season, when he suffered a cruciate knee injury, Van Dijk has played 20,017 minutes out of a possible 21,420 in the Premier League since joining from for £75m.

Thiago Silva played for in the Premier League until the age of 39 and, if he avoids another major injury, it is hoped that Van Dijk could replicate his longevity.

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