BREAKING NEWS: live from Anfield, Virgil van Dijk shares Liverpool contract update after dramatic 2-1 win vs West Ham. He said, “I’ll be signing a new Liverpool contract….That’s how deep my love for this club runs. It’s never been about the money, it’s always been about the badge. I want to retire here, give everything I’ve got until the very end. Anfield is home, and I’m not going anywhere.
Asked whether, like Mohamed Salah, he is close to signing a new two-year contract at Liverpool, Van Dijk replied: “I can tell you I’m very proud today to captain my 100th game for Liverpool. And it was an emotional day, because of the Hillsborough anniversary.
“The main focus was to get three points, and get a little closer to all of our dreams. Everyone knows how much I love this club, and let’s see what next week will look like.”
Arne Slot played down talk on another important contract extension for Liverpool, however, and insisted the focus is entirely on the pitch.
The Liverpool head coach said: “I think he means let’s see what next week brings when we play Leicester City because that, at this moment in time, is by far the biggest thing this club is looking at.
“Two more wins and the first 32 games have shown us how difficult it is – not only for us but for every team – to win a game of football. The competition has never been as strong as it is this season and that’s what makes it so hard to win a game of football.
“We still have to win two, so we should be completely focused on that. If in the meantime a contract extension happens [then fine] but my full focus is on Leicester and I’m sure Virgil’s is as well.”
Arne Slot admitted Virgil Van Dijk’s winner came as “a big relief”, with Liverpool indebted to Alisson for keeping West Ham at bay until Andy Robertson’s late own goal. “After West Ham scored and the way the second half went it felt to me that West Ham could score again,” the head coach said. “But our fans and players thought differently.”
