Captain Van Dijk wants 'so important' Salah to stay

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has underlined his desire for Mohamed Salah to remain at Anfield beyond the summer, praising the Egyptian’s enduring influence after he inspired the Reds’ 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton.

Salah, 33, marked his return to form with a goal and an assist on the night, helping secure a place in the fifth round and offering a timely reminder of his match-winning pedigree. The display followed a turbulent December in which Salah claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” and admitted his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had deteriorated during a barren spell.

Since rejoining the squad after the Africa Cup of Nations in January, the forward has started every fixture, registering two goals and four assists. His current contract runs until 2027, yet speculation persists that Salah could depart after nine prolific years on Merseyside. Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad attempted to lure him away in 2023 and would revive their interest if the opportunity arises.

Van Dijk, who signed his own two-year extension days after Salah’s April renewal, emphasised the attacker’s intangible value to the squad. “Mo is still a leader and important for me, as a captain, to have around,” the 34-year-old said. “His presence benefits the team. He always gives the team more than goals.”

The Dutch centre-back acknowledged the scrutiny Salah faces when his scoring rate dips, noting: “There’s obviously a lot of focus on his goals at the moment because he puts the standards so extremely high, so when he doesn’t score as much he gets criticised.” Prior to Saturday, Salah had found the net only once in 12 outings, though his penalty against Brighton took him to seven for the campaign. Last season he amassed 34 goals as Liverpool captured the Premier League title, lifting his overall club tally to 252 since arriving from Roma in 2017.

Van Dijk also highlighted Salah’s latest slice of history: his assist versus Sunderland last week equalled Steven Gerrard’s club record of 92 in the Premier League. “Mo is a very important Liverpool player who has set the bar extremely high,” Van Dijk added. “I can only say for us nothing has changed.”

With both stalwarts entering the final guaranteed year of their deals, Van Dijk struck a cautiously optimistic tone. “[Mo is] the same as me—he’s got one more year so we will see,” he said. “I always want Mo to stay because I’m a good friend of his and we’ve been through the highs and not-so-highs together for so many years.”

Liverpool sit sixth in the Premier League with 12 wins from 26 matches, leaving the duo’s experience integral to reviving the club’s fortunes. “There are so many things people don’t see what is important to try to become a successful team,” Van Dijk concluded. “Let’s see for the rest of the season how important he still is and can be.”