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Sources: Liverpool to open talks on £50m+ Van Dijk deal as seven-year contract mooted
Liverpool are set to open talks on a Virgil van Dijk new contract worth more than £50million, Football Insider understands.
The sidelined defender, 29, has two year remaining on the five-and-a-half year agreement he signed when joining from Southampton for an initial £70million in January 2018.
A Liverpool source has told Football Insider the club are willing to hand Van Dijk a deal worth more than £200,000-a-week to keep him at the club for the rest of his career.
The Dutchman’s colossal influence has been hugely missed by Jurgen Klopp’s side since he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in October.
He has not added to his eight early-season appearances and Klopp has suggested he will not return in time to feature for Holland in this summer’s delayed Euro 2020.
American owners FSG will nonetheless give the green light to offering Van Dijk an improved contract.
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Negotiations are set to begin at the end of the season.
The centre-back’s current £125,000-a-week basic is supplemented by various lucrative top-ups, including a £6m bonus on signing, a further £5m loyalty bonus and then a £4m bonus when he has played 150 Liverpool matches.
His new deal is likely to be worth more than £50m taking in the lucrative bonuses that includes incentives for goals and team clean sheets.
Ex-England goalkeeper Paul Robinson has urged Liverpool to hand Van Dijk a sensational seven-year deal even though he turns 30 in July.
“I would give him a five-year deal right now – with the option of a further two,” he told Football Insider.
“Van Dijk is the best in the world in his position and you can see how much Liverpool have missed him. They’re a different, far weaker side, when he is not there.
“I would tie him down for as long as possible. Centre-backs can player for longer than most outfield positions so I could see him playing beyond 35.”
In other news, Jadon Sancho is tipped to walk into the Liverpool XI next season after Fabrizio Romano news.