Liverpool has three contract conundrums on its plate. One of those involves club captain Virgil van Dijk , and FSG is still weighing up how to approach a possible renewal .
According to The Athletic , Van Dijk's situation appears to be the most "straightforward" to resolve among the trio of him, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold . That's a little alarming in itself, with everyone hoping that the vice-captain will sign extended terms with minimal fuss.
But even then, the future of Van Dijk is far from certain. He confirmed recently that there was still no new deal on the table, and that remains the case, just months before he is free to talk to foreign clubs.
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Much like with Salah , the report indicates that disruption behind the scenes has contributed to the delay in talks. Sporting director Richard Hughes is a new arrival, while on Van Dijk's side, he is keen to get a feel for the Arne Slot era before making any commitments.
That being said, other clubs are yet to come into Van Dijk's thinking. But they will have to at some point if Liverpool does not put an alternative option in front of him.
So is a contract offer forthcoming? That's what FSG is still said to be weighing up.
The owners made an "exception" when they last handed Van Dijk an extension in 2021. There is a reluctance to hand new deals to players aged 30 and up, but the transformative defender's continuing impact on the side was recognized, and Liverpool placed him among the highest earners in the squad.
The question is whether the same logic holds up three years down the line. To a large extent, it's a bet on Van Dijk's longevity at the top level.
Given that the length of the last contract was "heavily debated" internally, expecting an easy decision this time around might be optimistic. The player's wage demands will also come into play, especially if alternative options emerge with which Liverpool is not willing to compete (there's no indication this has happened yet, but Saudi Arabia would be an obvious candidate).
Per the report, the "most likely" outcome is an extension of 1-2 years. But that is far from a foregone conclusion, with important weeks and months ahead where Liverpool will continue to assess Van Dijk's performance, and he will continue to size up the new era.
Liverpool.com says: Van Dijk is still operating at the highest level now, and any eventual drop-off is likely to be gradual. Liverpool can agree an extension of a year or two without taking on massive risk.
Whether the captain would be minded to accept a shorter deal like that remains to be seen. But as with Salah and Alexander-Arnold, it makes sense for Hughes to sit down and talk it out sooner rather than later.
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