Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Thu 23 April 2026 14:35, UK

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Virgil van Dijk should be in the final stages of his professional career, yet he has played every single minute of Liverpool’s Premier League season.

The centre-back stole the show as the Reds beat Everton 2-1 in the Merseyside derby last week, rising highest to head home the winner in the 10th minute of stoppage time.

Despite Liverpool’s poor season, Van Dijk has looked as imperious as ever, featuring in 50 games already in this campaign.

With Mohamed Salah set to leave Anfield this summer, there has been talk that a changing of the guard could be set to take place.

But with Van Dijk’s relentless fitness preventing Liverpool’s injury issues from causing total collapse, there is little chance Arne Slot will want to let the legend leave.

Virgil van Dijk continues to be Liverpool’s general

Football Insider exclusively revealed in January that Liverpool plan to allow Van Dijk to see out his contract, which will run until the summer of 2027.

But it cannot be ruled out that the Netherlands international is handed a contract extension, considering the levels of fitness he maintains.

The amount of football Van Dijk plays without injury at the age of 34 is almost unprecedented in the Premier League.

The defender is coming up for 650 club career appearances, but often still looks to be the same player Liverpool spent £75million to sign in 2017.

He was superb against Everton, making eight clearances and four recoveries as he dealt with the relentless Beto.

When the going got tough, Van Dijk responded and stepped up to head home in the final seconds and earn Liverpool victory in the first Merseyside derby played at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

As he has done for over eight years now, the Liverpool captain dug out his side and was the man they turned to.

The fitness secret that keeps Van Dijk at the top of his game

Van Dijk’s secret comes in the form of a wearable technology that he swears by, and it is called WHOOP.

A device worn on the wrist, WHOOP monitors sleep, stress, strain, recovery, and so much more, allowing it to give the user recommendations to optimise their recovery.

Van Dijk has been a partner for several years, and credited the technology with the speed and quality of his recovery from his ACL injury in 2020.

There is little surprise that WHOOP has had such a profound effect on the defender’s career, considering another of its partners.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the footballer who likely boasts the best fitness record ever seen in the sport’s history, was a user of the technology for years before eventually becoming a partner.

With a recent long-term deal with PSG announced, WHOOP is expected to play a significant part in fitness and recovery for many of the world’s best footballers for years to come.