Liverpool has finalized its decision regarding Virgil van Dijk after securing Jérémy Jakhet to strengthen their defense.
On 5 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Liverpool manager Arne Slot spoke in a press conference ahead of this week's Premier League big match, hosting second-placed Manchester City on Sunday, 8 Feb 2026 GMT+7.
Arne Slot was asked by the media about the future of 34-year-old captain and defender Virgil van Dijk after Liverpool agreed to sign 20-year-old French defender Jérémy Jakhet from Rennes for a total fee of £60 million on a five-year contract, with an option to extend for an additional year, expected to be a long-term replacement.
Additionally, Liverpool signed 18-year-old Italian international defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma last summer, leading to speculation that van Dijk's time at Anfield may be nearing its end, despite his contract running until June 2027.
The Liverpool manager commented on van Dijk's future: "If I tell you (Liverpool) that everything has a reason, I think you won't be surprised. Everything we do here is never out of panic. It is a long-term plan or something we've considered for a long time, not just the decision of one person."
"Of course, we know Virgil won't play for another 10 years, but he still has one and a half years left on his contract. So he will be with us during that period, or maybe even longer if he can maintain his fitness at this level."
"I've said before that it is a great honor for him at this age to be able to play every three days, not just for our club but also for his national team for the past seven or eight months."
"We hope he can keep this fitness for many more years, but this club is not foolish. We also know that in the next few years, this club can have a bright future even without Virgil. I can say this for every position. This club is not only thinking about the short term but also the medium and long-term future."
