Liverpool are set to face Everton in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park this coming weekend.
Arne Slot came out to speak to the press ahead of the Premier League encounter, with the Reds having shared the spoils last time out against Newcastle at St James’ Park.
The result leaves the club with a still healthy lead over their title rivals – seven points to second-placed Arsenal and nine points to fourth-placed Manchester City, to be precise.
A win on Saturday to get the Slot machine back on track would be very well received.
Has Virgil van Dijk been offered a new contract?
The Liverpool boss was asked for any further updates following reports in the week that Virgil van Dijk had been offered fresh terms.
“What do you think the answer’s going to be?” the Dutch head coach told reporters gathered at his pre-match press conference (via liverpoolfc.com).
Mysterious as ever from Arne Slot!
As far as reputable sources go, of course, you can’t really improve on The Athletic’s David Ornstein who claimed that a breakthrough in talks had yet to be reached despite Liverpool having made an opening offer.
There are still 26 days, of course, until our skipper, widely considered to be one of the best centre-backs in the business, can open talks with an overseas outfit over a pre-contract agreement.
Either way, we get the impression that Van Dijk’s only really interested in a future that sees him stay put at Anfield. Unless, God forbid, push comes to shove and the two parties involved can’t settle on a suitable middle ground.
How much does Van Dijk currently earn at Liverpool?
As things currently stand, the former Southampton centre-back is one of the top two earners at Liverpool (alongside Mo Salah).
The 33-year-old allegedly earns £220,000-a-week (some way behind his Egyptian teammate’s £350,000-a-week-plus).
| Top three player wages | Wage (per week) |
| Mohamed Salah | £350,000 |
| Virgil van Dijk | £220,000 |
| Trent Alexander-Arnold | £180,000 |
* Figures courtesy of Capology