Liverpool have offered Virgil van Dijk a contract extension but it is said to have fallen short of the 33-year-old’s expectations, The Athletic reports. The Liverpool captain is among three key players, as well as Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contracts expire at the end of the season.
The Premier League leaders are looking to end uncertainty over Van Dijk’s future, but are yet to agree terms with their influential centre-back.
“By contrast, talks with Van Dijk have seen Liverpool table an opening bid to keep the 33-year-old beyond June – though it fell short of his expectations and so far there has been no breakthrough on the value or length of an extension.
“The dialogue has taken place for some time and continues, amid all three men playing a central role in the side’s fine start to the season under head coach Arne Slot.
“Their superb form suggests the matter is not having a negative on-field impact and the status of Van Dijk was underlined on Monday, through a nomination for the FIFPRO Men’s World11. Conversations are also ongoing between Liverpool and Alexander-Arnold, whose age (26) and status as an academy graduate present differences to the other cases.
“The right-back has generated well-documented interest from Real Madrid but, similarly to his team-mates, it remains unclear how the matter will conclude. Van Dijk’s game has gone up another level this season as he continues to lead by example in the heart of defence.”
West Ham in limbo on Lopetegui
West Ham are weighing up whether to sack Julen Lopetegui before Monday’s Premier League match against his former side Wolves, the Telegraph reports. Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat at Leicester has put Lopetegui on the brink just months after taking charge in the summer.
Just 14 league games into his reign, Lopetegui’s future will be decided by West Ham’s board before the weekend, with the expectation that he will be dismissed – although there could be a current split in the camp.
“Telegraph Sport understands that Lopetegui was set a target of four points from facing Leicester and Wolves but with the defeat at the King Power he cannot, obviously, achieve that.
“The Spaniard has proved to be an unpopular replacement at West Ham for David Moyes, who left in the summer after his contract expired, and has secured just four victories in the league this season, losing seven times. That is despite more than £120 million of player recruitment which raised expectations. However, the dour style of football has also meant he has not earned much support.”
Newcastle open to offers to fund January
Newcastle are open to offers for Miguel Almiron and Martin Dubravka, and could even consider selling Callum Wilson, Harvey Barnes or Sean Longstaff in a bid to fund their transfer windows in January and beyond, The i Paper reports.
The paper claims Newcastle United would have to pay more than £60m to sign Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, one of the players they admire.
“One possible solution is investigating potential loan with an option to buy deals. That is how they were able to broker a move for Lewis Hall in the summer of 2023 when they had reached their PSR limit.
“There is no prospect of one of Newcastle’s ‘crown jewels’ being sold in January, with Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak seen as irreplaceable in the next trading period.”
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