Virgil van Dijk's response to Liverpool future question speaks volumes after Mo Salah outburst
Mohamed Salah came under fire for claiming he was "more out than in" at Liverpool but Virgil Van Dijk chose not to dwell on his contractual situation and instead focused on Liverpool's next game against Manchester City
by Oli Gamp · The MirrorLiverpool defender Virgil van Dijk insisted he was "focused" on their huge game against Manchester City when asked about his future - after his team-mate Mohamed Salah came under fire for suggesting he could leave the club.
The Dutchman is out of contract at the end of the season and is in talks over extending his deal, though fans have been left in the dark over whether he will commit to the club beyond next summer.
Mohamed Salah is also out of contract next summer and alarmed the club by claiming he was "more out than in" during a rare appearance in the mixed zone after Liverpool's 3-2 win over Southampton last weekend.
The Egyptian's comments led to club legend Jamie Carragher calling him "selfish" but Van Dijk chose not to dwell too much on his contractual situation and instead focus on Liverpool's next game - which is a huge showdown against title rivals City.
"What a direct question from you! They don’t ask me that direct," he told Spanish outlet El Chiringuito after Liverpool's impressive 2-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
"But listen, there is, at the moment, nothing I can say. The only thing that I can say is I’m fully focused on Man City from now on." Van Dijk was then pushed over whether he could join Real Madrid after a reporter said they "needed a centre-back". He added: "Do they? I don’t know.” When pushed again, he added: "But [Antonio] Rudiger is there, no?”
Salah was more direct when asked about his own future, revealing he was yet to receive a new contract offer and suggested he was more likely to depart at the end of the season.
"We are almost in December and I haven’t received an offer to stay at the club yet so I am probably more out than in," he said. "I have been at the club for many years. There is no club like this but in the end it is not in my hands. As I said before, it is December and I haven’t received anything yet about my future."
Liverpool boss Arne Slot refused to discuss Salah's situation ahead of their clash against Madrid and instead made light of his future before reiterating that none of his players were "distracted". Trent Alexander-Arnold is also out of contract next summer.
"I've said many times, I don't share this [information]. If I look at my line-ups, Mo is more in than out! We want his numbers to be where they are. I don't think he is distracted. I haven't seen it. He is just fully focused on the game.
"These things are in the media and fans talk about it, but the players don't. I don't think there is any distraction for him or for the players."
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