Fabrizio Romano: Liverpool are ‘convinced’ they’ll secure new deal for player who ‘oozes class’ | OneFootball

Fabrizio Romano has offered a reassuring update to Liverpool fans about the future of one Anfield stalwart.

Speaking after the Reds’ Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, Virgil van Dijk sent a shiver down Kopites’ spines when he insisted that he has ‘no idea’ as to whether or not he’ll sign a new contract, with his current deal having just over three months remaining.

The sight of him speaking with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi at Anfield in midweek also seemed worrying initially, although it’s since been clarified that the 33-year-old was apologising for comments he made to personnel from the Ligue 1 club during last week’s match at the Parc des Princes.

Romano shares Van Dijk contract latest

Roughly 24 hours after Liverpool’s European fate was sealed, Romano gave an update on Van Dijk’s future in an update on his eponymous YouTube channel.

The Italian transfer guru outlined: “Liverpool internally insist on their plan to keep Virgil van Dijk at the club. They really want to keep Virgil.

“They insist on their confidence to make it happen, so Liverpool remain confident – relaxed is a big word; it’s still too early to say relaxed. You are relaxed when you sign a contract, but Liverpool remain in conversations with Van Dijk and are convinced that they can make it happen with the player.

“At the moment, there’s still nothing agreed, but Virgil van Dijk is speaking to the club. In this case, Liverpool maintain their position.”

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

We could be kept waiting another while for Van Dijk contract resolution

It should noted that, while Van Dijk didn’t exactly commit to Liverpool in his post-match comments on Tuesday, nor did he hint at any burning desire to leave Anfield, so for now it’s best to take him at the word when he says that the matter is still up in the air.

He’ll be 34 in July, so even if the Reds are to extend his contract, it’d likely be for no more than two years (maybe three at a push), especially when he’s already the squad’s second-highest earner on £220,000 per week (Capology).

LFC would be downright daft not to be striving hard to keep him at the club, not just because he ‘oozes class’ (in Michael Dawson’s words) and offers a crucial leadership presence, but also because they simply can’t afford to lose any defenders unless they’re to bring in a replacement straight away.

Liverpool have been linked with the likes of Dean Huijsen, Nico Schlotterbeck and Joel Ordoñez of late, which suggests that Richard Hughes is determined to replenish Arne Slot’s centre-back options, but Van Dijk remains the least expendable of the Reds’ defensive personnel.

We probably shouldn’t expect an imminent resolution to this long-running contract saga, and time is now very much of the essence to get it done, but we remain optimistic that our captain will pen a new deal at Anfield sometime in the next three months.