NETHERLANDS defender Virgil van Dijk has committed his future to Liverpool, the club announced on Friday.
The 30-year-old returned from a lengthy injury lay-off only recently and has now put pen to paper on the eve of the new Premier League campaign.
“Virgil van Dijk has today signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool Football Club,” the Reds stated.
“The centre-back committed his future to the Reds by putting pen to paper at Anfield on Friday morning, ensuring his three-and-a-half-year association with the club will be prolonged well into the coming years.”
Van Dijk, who joined Liverpool from Southampton for £75 million in January 2018, told Liverpoolfc.com: “Amazing. It is something to be very proud of, that I am very proud of, that my wife and my kids are very proud of and obviously my agency.
“All the hard work we’ve put in so far continues and I am looking forward to what the future brings together with Liverpool. I’m delighted, very happy and proud.”
The Netherlands centre-back and captain has made 130 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 13 goals, and helping them to win the Premier League title in 2020 and the UEFA Champions League the year before.
He was voted the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, UEFA Men’s Player of the Year and UEFA Defender of the Season for 2018-19, while he finished second in the 2019 Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA Men’s Player in 2019.
“Since day one when I joined the club, I felt so much appreciation from the fans and from my teammates and the staff, that I could be a very important member of this football club,” the Dutchman added.
“It has been going well; unfortunately last season for me personally has been a season to forget, to learn from and take with me, but I have enjoyed my time here and will keep enjoying it in the next couple of years altogether with all of you.”
Van Dijk says he has fully recovered from the knee surgery that ended his campaign early last season and prevented him from featuring at Euro 2020 in June and July.
Van Dijk said: “I feel good. Obviously [they were] friendlies, you get your match fitness up, get into repetitions of doing things again and again.
“I feel like I am ready for the weekend, so we’ll see what the manager decides. It is going to be a totally different atmosphere and mindset for me personally as well. It is something we fight for, for the points, and hopefully we can get a positive result out of it.”
