Liverpool face a major decision over Virgil van Dijk’s future, with the club captain out of contract at the end of the 2026/27 season and reports in Spain suggesting Real Madrid could offer him a short-term deal.
There is currently no indication that the Reds are preparing a new contract for the defender, who will turn 36 at the start of the 2027/28 campaign. His possible departure could mark the beginning of a new era at Anfield, particularly as Liverpool seek to restore their regular challenge for major honours.
No player is bigger than a club, and Mohamed Salah’s recent departure demonstrated that principle. However, few recent Liverpool players have possessed Van Dijk’s ability to command and organise a team.
Losing the Netherlands international would leave a significant gap, with few obvious candidates to replace the authority and consistency he has brought to the centre of Liverpool’s defence. A move to Real Madrid could see him reunite with former central defensive partner Ibrahima Konate, although it is not known whether the opportunity would appeal to Van Dijk.
Jose Mourinho is not a manager who signs players without a clear purpose. If he believes Van Dijk can still contribute, however, the Portuguese would be unlikely to ignore the chance to acquire an experienced defender as a free agent.
Van Dijk’s importance to Liverpool is reflected in his workload since the beginning of the 2025/26 season. He has started 61 matches, more than any other player at the club, while Alexis Mac Allister has appeared in 62. Van Dijk’s 5,481 minutes are also a squad high, an indication of his reliability and availability despite his age.
He has added eight goals during that period. Only Cody Gakpo, Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Hugo Ekitike have scored more for Liverpool in the same time frame.
Liverpool have kept a clean sheet in 19 of Van Dijk’s 61 appearances, and no team-mate has been involved in more matches in which the opposition failed to score since the start of 25/26.
The defender’s 272 headed clearances and 396 clearances overall are comfortably the highest figures in the squad. He has attempted 34 tackles and completed 61.76% of them, one of Liverpool’s best success rates.
Van Dijk has regained possession 165 times, including 77 recoveries in the middle third. His one-on-one duel success rate of 71.53% is also comfortably the best among his team-mates, with 299 wins from 418 contests.
He has won 243 of his 323 aerial duels, both figures leading the squad. Van Dijk is also the only Liverpool player to have attempted more than 4,000 passes, completing 3,926 of 4,396 for an accuracy rate of 89.31%. Although one or two colleagues have marginally better percentages, they have attempted about 2,000 fewer passes.
Those numbers suggest that, while Van Dijk may have lost some pace, age has not diminished his competitiveness or his influence. Andoni Iraola and the Liverpool board must therefore consider carefully whether allowing their captain to leave would weaken the team.
Real Madrid, or Los Blancos, could ultimately benefit if Liverpool decide the time has come to move on.
