Virgil van Dijk admits 'things have moved on' as Liverpool contract decision looms

Virgil van Dijk believes "things have moved on" at Liverpool under new head coach Arne Slot .

The Reds defeated AC Milan 3-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Van Dijk scoring their second goal at the San Siro . Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai also scored for Liverpool after Christian Pulisic opened the scoring for the home team.

Van Dijk has entered the final year of his contract at Liverpool, with the 33-year-old yet to give a clear indication on his future. The Netherlands international is the club captain after inheriting the armband from Jordan Henderson during the summer of 2023.

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Liverpool has entered a new era under Slot, who replaced Jurgen Klopp as head coach during the most recent offseason. Van Dijk admits things have changed on Merseyside under Slot, who has "different" principles than his predecessor.

"Obviously I am very pleased with the win, and I am pleased with the way we bounced back after a difficult start," Van Dijk told Sky Italy after Tuesday's game. "Overall we put in a very good performance with and without the ball.

"When there is a set-piece we try to be important. The delivery was outstanding in my opinion. Overall I am very pleased that we won and we limited them to only two big chances.

"We have been very successful over the years and I am always grateful for that. Things have moved on, the new manager is here and he has principles that are different. We are working on things and there are still things to improve."

Perhaps Van Dijk is waiting to see how the opening months of the season unfold before making a decision on his future. Liverpool has won four of its first five games in all competitions this term, with the team's only defeat coming against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League last Saturday, a shock result in the eyes of most fans.

Liverpool may also decide against offering Van Dijk a new deal considering his age. And if the Reds do offer his a contract, it's unclear whether that would a one-year extension of a multi-year deal. It'll be interesting to see how this transfer saga develops.