Liverpool has officially made a decision regarding Virgil van Dijk after acquiring Jeremy Jacques to strengthen their defense.
On 5 February 2026, Liverpool manager Arne Slot spoke in a press conference ahead of this week's Premier League big match, hosting second-place Manchester City on Sunday, 8 February.
Arne Slot was asked by the media about the future of captain and defender Virgil van Dijk, 34, after completing the signing of 20-year-old French defender Jeremy Jacques from Rennes for a total fee of £60 million, on a 5-year contract with an option 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 Virgil van Dijk's time at Anfield may be over, despite his contract running until June 2027.
Liverpool's manager commented on Van Dijk's future: "If I tell you (Liverpool) that everything has a reason, I think you wouldn't be surprised. Everything we do here is never out of panic. It's a long-term plan or something we've thought about for a long time, not just from one person."
"Of course, we know Virgil won't be playing for another 10 years, but he still has a year and a half left on his contract. So he will be with us during that time, or possibly longer if he maintains his fitness at this level."
"I've said before it's 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 over the past 7 or 8 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, the club can have a bright future even without Virgil. I can say this about every position. This club thinks not only about the short term but also the medium and long term."
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