Look away now, Liverpool fans — as if an early Champions League exit wasn’t painful enough for Arne Slot’s side, they may have another issue brewing with their captain.
After being knocked out of Europe by PSG in a penalty shootout at the last-16 stage, new footage has surfaced showing Virgil van Dijk engaged in a relaxed post-match conversation.
Photos show the Dutch defender inside Anfield chatting with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Luis Campos.
Although seeing Van Dijk talking to rival club officials is unsettling for Liverpool supporters, he’s within his rights as he approaches free agency.
The 33-year-old, who joined Liverpool in 2018 for £75 million from Southampton, is surprisingly heading toward the end of his contract without a renewal in place.
What makes the situation even more concerning is that two other key figures, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, are also nearing the end of their contracts and could walk away for free.
Salah has openly hinted at a possible departure, while Alexander-Arnold has stayed quiet despite strong links to Real Madrid.
As for Van Dijk, he’s been candid about the uncertain contract talks. Back in October, he said discussions were still happening, but in January, his comments suggested little progress had been made.
When asked how many more games he might play for Liverpool, he replied: “I have no idea. How many left this season? Hopefully, those are guaranteed, and then I don’t know what the future holds.”
PSG, backed by Qatari ownership, certainly have the resources to pull off such a high-profile free transfer, especially after clearing Kylian Mbappe’s massive wages last summer.
Strengthening their defense could also be on the agenda, despite solid performances from Marquinhos and William Pacho.
If Van Dijk were to consider a move to PSG, Luis Campos would likely be the man handling negotiations — interestingly, the same man Van Dijk clashed with in the tunnel during the first leg in France.
At halftime of that match, Campos was caught on camera yelling “Penalty or red card!” at the referee over a Konate challenge, to which Van Dijk coolly replied: “This isn’t Ligue 1, bro.”
That exchange might have been a talking point during their Anfield chat.
Van Dijk also had words of praise for PSG’s manager, possibly hinting at a future working relationship. After the game, he told reporters: “They have the quality to hurt any opponent, their attackers are very dangerous and direct. Their coach Luis Enrique has made them a very good team.”
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