After Liverpool beat Brighton in October, Virgil van Dijk went upstairs to one of the hospitality lounges at Anfield and met up with Alan Hansen.

It was Van Dijk who, at the end of the 2024-25 season, asked the former Liverpool and Scotland defender to present him with the Premier League trophy and this time they posed for a picture that inevitably did the rounds on social media.

Whenever the time comes for Van Dijk to move on from Liverpool, he will go down as arguably their greatest centre-half, alongside Hansen. The question now is whether he will finish his career at Anfield like Hansen did in 1991.

Van Dijk's contract expires next summer and, even if the 35-year-old insisted this week that he was in no panic, it is a topic that will be a source of debate until a decision is made.

"Let's see what the season brings. I've had an amazing time already so far. If that will be extended, that's the case. If not, then I will go somewhere else," the Liverpool captain told reporters at Selhurst Park.

Two seasons ago, with Van Dijk in a similar situation, there was a similar sense of calm and come April 2025 he signed a two-year-deal.

Judging by Van Dijk's comments there is a feeling of him wanting to stay, but both he and Liverpool have an important decision to make.

Liverpool keen to avoid Salah repeat

Aside from a poor error against Villarreal in the Champions League, Van Dijk has shown this season that his standards haven't dropped.

His partnership with Jeremy Jacquet, who joined in the summer, is going from strength to strength and Van Dijk has played every minute in the Premier League since the start of last season.

A "little niggle" has affected him in recent weeks and this is the first international window he has missed with the Netherlands since Euro 2020, but it isn't a major cause for concern.

Liverpool have lost a number of senior figures in recent years but Van Dijk remains a leader in every form, and that was evidenced by his suggestion to Andoni Iraola that the squad should visit the museum at Anfield to learn more about the club's history.

At Crystal Palace on Sunday, it spoke volumes of Van Dijk's character that he came over to a group of reporters and asked if they wanted to speak to him, rather than the other way around. He regularly fronts up, regardless of the result.

Van Dijk is certainly not the force he was under Jurgen Klopp but he remains an elite centre-half and the stats justify that.

Per 90 minutes this season in the Premier League, he averages 60.7 successful passes per game, wins possession 3.5 times and makes 7.1 clearances. He has a 75% success in duels and 79% when it comes to aerial duels.

In his first full season at the club, in 2018-19, he averaged 72.4 successful passes per game, won possession 5.1 times and made 5.3 clearances. He had a 76% success in duels and 75% when it came to aerial duels.

That said, the Liverpool hierarchy will have seen the way the situation with Mohamed Salah unfolded last year and will be keen to avoid a repeat. After a stellar season in 2024-25, Salah's numbers plummeted in 2025-26.

Liverpool have a number of young centre-backs within their ranks, from Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni to the likes of Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye, but letting Van Dijk go would be a risk and leave a gaping hole.

He didn't take a pay cut in 2025 and continues to earn a salary understood to be in the region of £400,000 a week.

Joe Gomez, 29, is also out of contract this summer and Liverpool do have an option to buy Ronald Araujo, 27, at the end of the season from Barcelona but there would be a clear loss of experience and leadership if Van Dijk leaves.

For sporting director Julian Ward, the future of the Dutchman will be a priority over the coming months.

No resolution to contract talks expected soon

Providing he is fit, Van Dijk will make his 390th appearance for Liverpool when they take on Manchester United after the international break.

And given his consistency, he is likely to reach 400 appearances by the end of the year. He would become only the 28th Liverpool player to do so.

The 31 goals he has scored for Liverpool in the Premier League is the most for a defender at the club.

In terms of a resolution with his contract, this is likely to be one where both parties bide their time and, given that the existing relationships are strong and there's a mutual respect, it would not be a surprise to see negotiations go into 2027.

Come January, Van Dijk will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club and as such, AC Milan and Juventus are monitoring the situation.

Sources in Turkey are also hopeful that they could tempt him to make the same move as Salah if an extension isn't agreed at Liverpool but, as it stands, it would be quite a surprise if Van Dijk moved on this summer. (BBC)