Virgil van Dijk's new contract signals teammate's Liverpool EXIT

Virgil van Dijk is set to sign a new contract at Liverpool but it signals another impending exit.

News broke everywhere on Wednesday that Virgil van Dijk is set to renew his contract at Liverpool. The Dutchman, whose currently deal expires at the end of this season, will reportedly pen a two-year extension shortly.

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It's fantastic news, of course. Van Dijk will go down as arguably the greatest defender Liverpool have ever had and, fingers crossed, a title-winning captain.

We're certainly celebrating as Van Dijk's form this season has been exceptional. He's comfortably, in our eyes at least, the best centre-back on the planet once again.

And so it made the decision feel a little obvious that Van Dijk would and should stay. Who was more likely to replace his level over the next two years? A slightly declining Van Dijk or a new signing?

The former was always the superior option with the least risk. So here we are, with Van Dijk getting his new deal and remaining at the club for a while longer.

However, we do think that comes at a different cost.

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Ibrahima Konate's future

Liverpool leave one situation where a centre-back's future is in doubt and immediately walk into another one. Ibrahima Konate enters the final year of his own contract this summer and the Reds will have a decision to make.

Anfield Watch understands that Paris Saint-Germain would love to sign the defender, who is from Paris. Given it's the final year of his contract, Liverpool would need to sell this summer first they're to recoup any sort of transfer fee.

We'd argue that Van Dijk's new contract makes that more likely. The idea of losing both seemed so disastrous that Liverpool wouldn't let it happen, almost certainly offering Konate a massive wage.

But they've now tied up that money in Van Dijk's new contract. Mo Salah won't be leaving either, which again limit the amount the Reds would offer Konate.

Trent Alexander-Arnold almost certainly does depart but with so many incoming transfers talked about, we're doubtful that Liverpool would turn around and give Konate an inflated wage. We think Van Dijk's new deal simply makes it far easier for the club to reject Konate's demands and let him leave.

Because lets make one thing clear: the only way Liverpool are getting Konate to re-sign is with a massive new contract. One that's arguably more than he's actually worth.

Van Dijk leaving would have made that quite palatable for the club but his new deal dramatically lessens their desire. Especially when we imagine PSG will offer a reasonable amount this summer to guarantee his signing.

It doesn't suit them to let Real Madrid get involved in 2026, for instance.

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We believe this Van Dijk deal is a sign that Konate is off, then. We suspected it would be the case this summer and it's now all pointing that way as Liverpool struggle to lock their other star defender down.