Liverpool Contracts 2026: Why Virgil van Dijk, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott Define Iraola’s Summer

Liverpool’s rebuild under Andoni Iraola will be judged by signings, but the harder work may sit much closer to home. As Liverpool Echo outlined, eleven players have moved into the final year of their contracts. That is not background noise. That is a structural issue.

When one or two deals are running down, clubs can manage it. When the number hits eleven, it becomes a test of planning, leverage and clarity. Richard Hughes and the recruitment department now have a summer where every decision carries a consequence. Keep too many and Liverpool risk value draining away. Sell too many and Iraola starts his first campaign with less stability than he needs.

Virgil van Dijk remains central

The biggest name is Virgil van Dijk. He turns 35 this month and there has already been outside noise around his future, specifically with AC Milan and Fenerbahce. According to the original report, that has been dismissed and Liverpool are proceeding on the basis that their captain stays put.

That makes sense. You do not usher in a new head coach and remove the most authoritative figure in the dressing room unless there is a compelling football reason. There is no evidence of that here. Van Dijk may not be a long-term solution because nobody at his age is, but for Iraola he is plainly part of the short-term framework.

Alisson, Jones and Elliott need clear calls

Alisson Becker is a different case. Juventus interest was serious enough to draw attention and there was a suggestion he was open to a new challenge after eight years. Liverpool protected themselves by triggering a one-year extension in March. That buys time, nothing more. It means the club can defer the decision until 2027, which is sensible if the player remains committed and the level stays high.

Curtis Jones feels more urgent. Inter Milan failed to reach Liverpool’s valuation, reportedly around £35 million, after offering roughly £22 million. Nottingham Forest have also been mentioned after banking £116 million from the sale of Elliot Anderson to Manchester City. Liverpool are right not to undersell, but there is a hard truth here. If a renewal is not realistic, then a controlled sale now is better than sentiment followed by a free departure.

Harvey Elliott sits in a similar bracket, albeit from a different angle. His loan at Aston Villa did little to strengthen his market and his valuation has dipped from where it was when RB Leipzig were keen. Yet managerial change can alter everything. Iraola may look at him and see a role others did not.

Joe Gomez and wider contract risk

Joe Gomez is another case that matters more now than it may have done a few weeks ago. With Ibrahima Konate gone, Liverpool cannot treat experienced defenders as disposable. Gomez has been at the club for eleven years and versatility still has practical value, especially during a managerial transition.

The wider point is simple. Liverpool cannot drift through this. Contract management is squad building. Ignore it and the market makes the decision for you.

Looking Forward

From a Liverpool fan perspective, this report lands with a mix of concern and relief. Relief first, because the Van Dijk noise always felt a bit too convenient. New manager arrives, veteran captain gets linked away, people start talking about a dramatic reset. Football does not always work like that. Sometimes the sensible move is the obvious one, and keeping your best leader around while Iraola gets his feet under the table is common sense.

The bigger issue is the sheer volume of unresolved situations. Eleven players in the final year is too many for a club that wants to look serious and controlled. Supporters can accept a rebuild, but they do not want to watch Liverpool sleepwalk into losing players for reduced fees or for nothing at all. That is poor planning, plain and simple.

Jones is probably the one that splits opinion most. Some fans still believe there is a top-class midfielder in there if he gets a defined role and regular minutes. Others look at the valuation and think Liverpool should cash in if the manager is unconvinced. Both arguments are fair. Elliott is similar. Talent is there, output and fit are the questions.

What fans will want from Hughes and Iraola now is decisiveness. Not panic, not public drama, just decisions. Keep the players who genuinely matter, move on the ones who do not fit, and do it early enough that the season is not shaped by hesitation.

Source: Liverpool Echo