BREAKING: Virgil van Dijk signs new Liverpool contract

Virgil van Dijk has signed a new contract with Liverpool. The captain will be sticking around.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has signed a new contract with the club. It puts an end to year-long speculation over his future at Anfield.

Van Dijk, after all, was set to leave the club for free at the end of this season. The Dutchman has been able to negotiate with non-English clubs since January 1st, too, but Anfield Watch understands the plan was always to renew at Liverpool.

In fact, his agent broke off talks with other clubs back in December in order to solely focus on the Reds. There was a brief flirtation with Paris Saint-Germain earlier this year but other than that, it's been all Liverpool.

Everyone got their wish, then. Van Dijk will remain with Liverpool for at least two more seasons - and maybe beyond.

Van Dijk signs new contract

So why the hold-up? One reason, really - Van Dijk is 33.

Liverpool don't like handing out big contracts to players beyond 30, let alone those who will be 34 by the time next season rolls around. Van Dijk turns 34 in July.

Players in that age range could enter a rapid decline at any moment, really. Put a player on a major contract and you could quickly end up paying a lot of money to someone who is nowhere near the required level.

That's the position Liverpool want to avoid. With Van Dijk, though, the risk is limited. He's been brilliant this season, for one, while he also brings leadership, experience and unrivalled expertise to the role.

Then there's the fact that defenders don't decline at the same rate that wingers or forwards do. Unless you're Mo Salah of course, who has proven this season that he is superhuman.

The only situation now left up in the air is the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who remains the last one standing from the trio with an expiring contract at the end of the season.

For now, though, we'll just celebrate Van Dijk's renewal and the fact that it guarantees more from arguably the club's greatest-ever defender.