Liverpool have reportedly handed a pay rise to Virgil van Dijk, with the Dutch international agreeing a new improved contract at Anfield.
According to an exclusive report from Mirror, Virgil van Dijk has agreed to a new Liverpool contract which entails a pay hike for the Dutch international. The contract is set to extend his stay at Anfield up to the summer of 2025, by which time van Dijk will turn 34.
Liverpool have been a steady attacking unit since the trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane was formed and perhaps, even before the trio came to be at Anfield. But, the defence had been a problem and was one of the major reasons that stopped the club from being genuine contenders for top honours.
However, it was the arrival of Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in January 2018 that turned Liverpool into a defensive unit that conceded only 22 goals in the entire 2018-19 campaign, the least in the Premier League that season and conquering Europe by adding another Champions League title to their trophy cabinet.
Van Dijk was recently named the UEFA Men’s Player of the Season for the 2018-19 season and is a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or this year. While van Dijk’s current deal stands till 2023, Liverpool are keen to tie the Dutch international down to a new long-term deal while also rewarding the defender for his form and influence within the squad.
According to the report, talks over an improved deal have been going on between the two parties since the summer of 2019. The report further entails that the new deal will see van Dijk pocket close to £200,000 per week compared to his current weekly wage of £125.000.
Also, there will be less reliance on performance related bonuses to accentuate the aforementioned number compared to his previous contract, wherein there were clauses that provided hefty bonuses for hitting the benchmark set for clean sheets and appearances.
While talks have been ongoing for a long time, van Dijk’s representatives were given a boost in the negotiation thanks to Harry Maguire’s record move to Manchester United. Liverpool too, have moved to secure their asset for a longer time while also ensuring a just wage for a player of van Dijk’s stature.
