Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has ended any uncertainty about his future by signing a new two-year contract that commits him to Anfield until the summer of 2027. The 33-year-old Netherlands international’s previous terms were scheduled to expire once this season concludes and for many months it was unclear if an agreement would be found.

This feels as significant as any new signing that arrives at Liverpool this summer, with Van Dijk remaining the glue that holds the Reds together. Over the past seven years, he has cemented his status as one of the greatest centre-backs of all time, winning the Champions League and Premier League, among other trophies.