Liverpool transfer news has brought fresh uncertainty over the future of Virgil van Dijk, with Football Insider reporting that Liverpool are preparing for the captain to leave when his contract expires in June 2027. The report, published on September 23, says the club have delayed discussions over a new agreement and are preparing for the possibility that the 35-year-old will depart as a free agent.
That position does not represent a confirmed final decision yet. Football Insider previously reported on September 11 that Liverpool had postponed talks until later in the season, when the club would assess Van Dijk’s situation before deciding whether to extend his stay.
Van Dijk signed his current Liverpool contract in April 2025, with the agreement running until the summer of 2027. The deal replaced his previous contract and kept him at Anfield after months of uncertainty over his future.
For now, the Dutchman remains central to Andoni Iraola’s plans. Liverpool officially appointed Iraola as their new head coach in June 2026, and the club subsequently confirmed Van Dijk as their first-choice captain for the 2026/27 campaign.
His workload under Iraola has remained substantial. Van Dijk has started all six of Liverpool’s competitive matches this season, playing 540 minutes across five Premier League games and one Champions League fixture.
There is another financial angle. Capology estimates his gross fixed salary at £18.2 million for 2026/27, although the figure remains an external estimate rather than an official Liverpool disclosure.
Liverpool transfer news: Are Liverpool making the right call on Virgil van Dijk?
There is a strong footballing argument for Liverpool preparing the next phase now, even though Van Dijk’s current importance makes his eventual departure difficult to ignore.
At 35, the centre-back still gives Iraola something precious, and that’s reliability. He has played every competitive match so far, while his experience allows Liverpool to organise a defence that must cope with a more aggressive approach under the new manager. Recent results underline that value. Liverpool kept a clean sheet against Fulham before beating Bournemouth 1-0, and Van Dijk started both matches.
Yet age changes the calculation. His current contract expires in June 2027, when he will turn 36, and Liverpool cannot build their long-term defensive planning around the assumption that his present level will continue indefinitely. Football Insider says the club have already begun identifying potential replacements.
Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni form part of that planning, but Football Insider reports that Liverpool do not regard Jacquet as Van Dijk’s direct successor. Instead, the club reportedly sees Jacquet as a long-term option alongside a new senior centre-back, particularly after Ibrahima Konate’s departure.
That matters because replacing Van Dijk requires more than finding another central defender. Liverpool would lose a captain, organiser and experienced passer at the heart of their defensive structure. His leadership cannot simply appear because the club signs a younger player.
Still, a new contract would need to reflect age, workload and the club’s wider squad plans. With his estimated £18.2m annual gross salary, extending him for several more seasons could limit room for investment elsewhere, although Liverpool have yet to announce any decision.
This is therefore less about suddenly dropping Van Dijk and more about deciding when the succession process should begin. Right now, Iraola still trusts him as captain and first-choice centre-back. The question is how long Liverpool want that arrangement to continue.
