It has been some time since the beginning of 2025, yet Liverpool has yet to secure their first victory, marking a significant failure for Slot in 2025. After drawing with Manchester United in the double red derby and losing away to Tottenham in the League Cup, it is understandable that Liverpool did not manage to take all three points as they did not have the advantage of time and place. However, what truly concerns Liverpool is the renewals of Arnold and Salah. If these two matters are not resolved quickly, Liverpool may experience a period of adjustment over the next few seasons, and the team will also need to find a successor for Van Dijk, who is getting older.
According to foreign media reports, Van Dijk's renewal has been completed and only awaits an official announcement. As the dual captain of Liverpool and the Netherlands, Van Dijk possesses excellent physical fitness and maintains a high attendance rate. His renewal ensures that Liverpool will not need to introduce a starting center-back for the next 2-3 years and also guarantees that the team's defensive quality will not fall too low. During Klopp's early tenure at Liverpool, the team's defense was quite poor, and the squad depth was insufficient for multi-front battles. It was not until Van Dijk arrived that Liverpool could maintain a top position in the league year after year.
Van Dijk has now been with Liverpool for seven years, during which he has hardly missed any games, serving as a reliable pillar of Liverpool's defense. At the same time, his header attacks are also a goal-scoring weapon for Liverpool. Since joining Liverpool, Van Dijk has contributed 25 goals and 13 assists, making him a formidable force in Liverpool's positional play. Under such a captain, the current Liverpool is not much different from Klopp's era, and their strength has even improved. Who could not love a player like Van Dijk?
At 33 years old this year, Van Dijk is a typical late bloomer in the football world. Although he suffered a major injury in the 20-21 season, the recovered Van Dijk remains a top center-back in the Premier League, albeit with a slight deficiency in speed, which is why Liverpool brought in Konate. This season, Liverpool has achieved a record of 14 wins, 4 draws, and 1 loss in 19 league matches, leading second-placed Arsenal by 6 points with one game in hand. Van Dijk played the full 90 minutes in these 19 league matches, playing a crucial role in the team's outstanding performance.
It is understood that Liverpool's renewal with Van Dijk has been completed, but the details of the contract have not been made public, so it is temporarily unknown how many years Van Dijk has renewed with Liverpool. However, fans worried about Van Dijk's renewal can breathe a sigh of relief. In the next 2-3 years, Van Dijk should still be Liverpool's captain, and the team's performance will not experience a significant decline. It is hoped that within the remaining time of this month, the team can quickly complete the renewals with Arnold and Salah to extend Liverpool's peak.