Liverpool gift to players a reminder of what must happen next in contract talks

Virgil van Dijk is one of three players within the Liverpool squad who are out of contract at the end of the season

Liverpool gift to players a timely reminder of what must happen next in contract talks

Bookmark

When Liverpool won the Premier League four years ago, the entire squad were each given the gift of an Audemars Piguet watch. The luxury Swiss brand crafted a special edition of their Royal Oak Offshore timepiece to recognise the achievement of a club who were marking its first championship for 30 years.

The specially-commissioned timepiece was engraved with the squad number of each individual player and the year of 2020, which was the season that saw the Reds end a three-decade wait for league crown No.19 by finishing 18 points above second-placed Manchester City. A historic year deserved such a unique keepsake.

As someone whose timing has always been impeccable on the field, it was perhaps no surprise to learn that the piece helped spark a passion for horology in Virgil van Dijk. The Reds captain was apparently so inspired by the custom-made design, that he then visited the Audemars museum, located in Le Chenit, Switzerland, with Jordan Henderson to learn more about the brand and why their products are viewed as some of the finest on the planet.

The 2020 title-winning memento now takes pride of place in a collection that is almost as glittering as Van Dijk's haul of medals, but for someone who is now so invested in high-end wristwear, the Liverpool skipper will be acutely aware that the clock is also ticking elsewhere just now.

Having turned 33 in July, the Reds centre-back is in the Autumn of his career. It's the sort of age that, theoretically at least, leads to a sort of introspection from professionals as they contemplate what might come after the playing days are over and even for someone as gifted as the Netherlands skipper, Van Dijk has fewer days ahead of him on the pitch than behind him.

That being said, the £75m signing wasted little time in the September international break telling reporters in his homeland that he still sees himself as a vital part of Oranje's future as he outlined his aim to captain the nation at the 2026 World Cup.

“I want to play another World Cup," he said last month. “I know I am still more than good enough. I am the captain of Liverpool, a consistent factor and I feel excellent physically while I am improving on the ball too. Ultimately, you have to look at your own abilities and assess whether you are still important enough. I most certainly am. On the field and off it.”

The defender's influence at national level is enduring, with a largely youthful squad looking to a Premier League and Champions League winner for guidance on things like preparation and recovery. Ajax's Brian Brobbey, for example, is now a paid-up advocate of taking post-match saunas on the advice of his captain.

It's the same at Anfield, where players like Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and now Jarell Quansah are under the learning tree of their more experienced colleague.

"If I look at Virgil and the best centre-backs in the world, they’re seven or eight out of 10 every game, minimum, and for me to get to that level, that’s all I’m trying to do – to get steady games under my belt and then we can progress from there," Quansah said after signing a new contract earlier this week.

It's an important role for Van Dijk and one that justifies the decision to give him the armband permanently after the departure of Henderson in the summer of 2023. But if the 33-year-old is needed to stick around as something of a professional compass to guide his younger team-mates, the performances currently being served up make his end-of-season departure an even graver prospect to consider.

Liverpool's opening of talks with the representatives of Konate over a new deal inevitably led to questions around Van Dijk's own terms this week alongside Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who are all out of contract at the end of the season, but it's perhaps important to note each is being viewed through its own prism.

In the same way that heads were scratched when a previously inactive Liverpool appeared to suddenly pivot their recruitment efforts to £29m Giorgi Mamardashvili when Alisson Becker and Caoimhin Kelleher remained at the club, each deal and negotiation should be looked at on its own merits.

It's why any potential new contract for Konate won't be viewed with suspicion from Van Dijk as the wait for his own contract continues at a time when he is one of the best-performing centre-backs in Europe. But the fact he feels good enough to play at this level until the 2026 World Cup as a minimum should be hugely encouraging for decision-makers at Anfield.

As someone who is able to speak to clubs outside of England about a pre-contract agreement on New Year's Day, his specially-made Audemars Piguet may yet serve as a reminder of what can be achieved at Liverpool, the current Premier League leaders.

In contrast, however, the club themselves no longer have time on their hands where a new contract is concerned for their captain. The clock, custom-made or not, is ticking.

Story Saved
You can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.