Virgil van Dijk has revealed his plans for the next two seasons at Liverpool. He still wants to be a great leader

Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool’s key defender, has signalled his intention to extend his stay at the club. the 33-year-old Netherlands international, whose current contract expires in the summer of 2025, has expressed his desire to remain a big leader of the Reds for at least two more years.

• Van Dijk has expressed his desire to remain the leader of Liverpool and the national team for at least two more years
• He admitted he had doubts about his international career after the Netherlands were eliminated at the 2024 European Championship
• Since joining Liverpool in 2018, he has played 273 games, scoring 23 goals and adding 9 assists

Van Dijk feels a responsibility to Liverpool and the Netherlands

In an interview with British newspaper The Mirror, whose words are also quoted by Sky Sports website, he expressed his willingness and desire to remain a great leader not only at club level but also at national team level. Van Dijk stressed that his responsibilities in the Liverpool team and in the Dutch national team are still “super-sized”. He admitted that he is constantly analysing his abilities and wondering if he is still important enough.

“I have a big responsibility in the club and the national team, both on and off the pitch. I don’t like to talk about myself like that, but it’s true,” said the 33-year-old midfielder, who was named Liverpool captain after the departures of Jordan Henderson and James Milner in the summer of 2023.

Tough moments after the European Championship and elimination

Van Dijk also reflected on the difficult moments after the Netherlands’ last-minute elimination against England at the 2024 European Championship. He felt emotionally drained after that defeat and began to think about his future in the national team. “I am human and I have emotions. After a game like this you think about all kinds of things. It was disappointing, and maybe I was letting it be known at the time that this could be my last international match,” he admitted.

But the situation soon calmed down. Van Dijk confided that a short holiday with his family and children helped him find his lost balance and regain his strength. “Family is the most important thing in my life. Thanks to them I was able to process my feelings and calm down quickly,” the Dutch leader added.

Successes in Liverpool

Since his arrival at Liverpool in January 2018, Van Dijk has become a key player in the defence and one of the best stoppers in the world. His debut for Liverpool was a memorable one – on 5 January 2018 against Everton, he not only donned the Reds jersey for the first time, but scored his first goal for the club in that very match.

He has played 273 games for Liverpool so far, in which he has scored 23 goals and added 9 assists. Under his leadership as captain in the 2023/24 season, Liverpool continue to fight for the top spot in the Premier League.

Van Dijk remains a key player for Liverpool and the Dutch national team at the age of 33. Although he has been thinking about his future after a difficult time at the European Championships, he is now completely focused on the next years of his career. Liverpool fans and his national teammates can rest assured – Van Dijk wants to remain a great leader for at least two more years.

Source: The Mirror, Sky Sports, LFC History