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Virgil van Dijk points and then kisses the Liverpool badge after his late goal moved the runaway Premier League leaders within six points of the title (Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Virgil van Dijk has ended months of speculation over his long-term future by signing a two-year contract extension at Liverpool.

The new terms will commit the captain to the Reds until 2027, taking him up to nearly a decade of service at Anfield.

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Van Dijk - like Mohamed Salah, who put pen to paper on a new deal of his own on Friday - had entered the final couple of months of his deal with Liverpool, with the situation being the topic of intense speculation all season as a result.

The Netherlands captain had reportedly been wanted by a slew of European clubs and was even linked with a move to Saudi Arabia but extending at Liverpool was always Van Dijk's preference.

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And the 33-year-old has now ended that uncertainty by extending with the club he joined from Southampton for £75m in January 2018.

“I’m very happy, very proud,” said Van Dijk.

The journey I’ve had so far in my career, to be able to extend it with another two years at this club is amazing and I’m so happy.

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“It was always Liverpool.

Both the club and the player had made it clear they wanted an agreement that would see the centre-back remain at Anfield.

As with the new contract for Salah, the deal with Van Dijk is understood to fit within both the sporting and financial framework of the club laid down by owners Fenway Sports Group.

And having tied down two of their most important players for the next two seasons, Liverpool believe they have further underlined players of elite talent can fulfil their ambitions at the club.

The Dutchman explained as recently as mid-March that he had no idea what the future held for him and said anyone who claimed knowledge of the situation was "lying to your face".

Speaking after the Champions League penalty-shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, he said: "I still have no idea at the moment.

At the moment, I don’t even know what will happen next year."

However, a significant breakthrough was made earlier this month and after Salah's was confirmed last week, Van Dijk has now provided Liverpool with another significant boost for their long-term future as they close in on a second Premier League title in five years.

The Reds travel to Leicester City on Easter Sunday looking to wrap up the first of two victories needed to win the title and maximum points at the King Power might even see them crowned champions if Arsenal lose to Ipswich Town earlier that afternoon.

Speaking to reporters after his winning goal saw off West Ham United in Sunday's 2-1 victory at Anfield, the centre-half was more coy as he dropped hints that an official announcement would be forthcoming this week.

"Let's see how this week goes," Van Dijk said.

I told you last week that there was progress, so we'll see."

Van Dijk has won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Club World Cup and two Carabao Cups since moving from the Saints and succeeded Jordan Henderson as club captain in the summer of 2023 when the outgoing skipper moved to Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League.

It means Liverpool now have two of their three long-standing contract issues resolved with just Trent Alexander-Arnold left as a potential free agent this summer.
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