Virgil van Dijk provided another worrying update on his contract talks this week, with Arne Slot then making it clear he wants his captain to stay at Liverpool.
Speaking after Liverpool’s Champions League exit, Van Dijk stressed that he “genuinely” does not know if he will be staying or leaving this summer.
That comes with talks still ongoing over a new contract, with the Dutchman saying: “I don’t even know what will happen next year. If anyone says they do know, they are lying to your face.”
• READ: Virgil van Dijk “genuinely” doesn’t know Liverpool future – anyone else is “lying”
The prospect of losing Van Dijk – or Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold for that matter – is not one supporters are willing to face.
And the same applies to Slot himself, who was asked in his pre-Carabao Cup final press conference when he needs, or wants, to know whether any of those players are leaving.
“I don’t know what’s happening next season as well, in terms of results,” he joked. “But that’s not what you mean.”
Slot continued: “The only thing I know is that I want Virgil to be here next season.
“All the rest, talks about his contract, that’s not what I do over here.”
Questioned on whether it affecs his planning for next season, he replied: “Interesting way of asking things! No it doesn’t, not for me.”
Clearly, doubts still looming over the immediate future of his captain, his main source of goals and his first-choice right-back will hugely impact Slot’s plans for his second campaign as head coach.
There is no avoiding that reality, as losing Van Dijk in particular would damage the bedrock of his Liverpool side, forcing a major change to the structure of their defence.
It is no surprise, then, that Slot is desperate for the 33-year-old to agree new terms – just as he will be Salah, who is already the second-top scorer of his entire coaching career, with 32 goals so far this season.
Alexander-Arnold’s situation is different, with an established backup already in place and more of a sense of finality to this campaign amid interest from Real Madrid.
The hope will be that progress can be made during a long break between fixtures after the Carabao Cup final, with Liverpool not playing again until the Merseyside derby at Anfield, 17 days later.
