Iraola confirms his stance on Van Dijk's contract renewal with Liverpool

Andoni Iraola, Liverpool's head coach, wants to keep captain Virgil van Dijk as his current contract approaches its end in June 2027.

Graham Bailey, a transfer correspondent for "TEAMtalk", has reported that there is a strong chance of the Dutch defender extending his contract for at least another year, which would keep him at Liverpool until the summer of 2028, with negotiations set to begin in early 2027.

Despite reaching 35 years of age, Virgil van Dijk is having a good season and regularly features, alongside his leadership role and contribution to the development of young defenders, notably Jérémie Jacquet.

The report noted that Liverpool are typically cautious about renewing contracts for aging players, but Virgil van Dijk's importance to Iraola enhances his chances of staying, without preventing the club from signing a new centre-back.

TEAMtalk reports that Ronald Araújo could be a candidate to succeed Virgil van Dijk in the future, with the possibility of bringing forward the activation of his €55 million buyout clause to January.