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Virgil van Dijk's nomination for Fans' Footballer of the Year comes as no surprise, given his consistent performances as one of the world's top centre-backs. The Liverpool defender is one of three key players, along with Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contracts are set to expire in the summer, sparking uncertainty about their futures at Anfield, according to Mirror.

At 33, Van Dijk's age may raise concerns among Liverpool's hierarchy about committing to a lucrative contract extension. However, the Dutchman has shown no signs of decline, instead improving his game over the past 18 months following his recovery from a serious knee injury in 2020.

Considering the hefty fees required to secure a replacement of similar caliber, extending Van Dijk's contract appears to be the most sensible option. The centre-back's impact since joining Liverpool in 2018 has been immense, and his influence on the team's success cannot be overstated.

While Liverpool have been linked with potential replacements, including Gleison Bremer, Goncalo Inacio, Loic Bade, and Marc Guehi, none of these players have consistently performed at Van Dijk's level. The lack of standout centre-back talent in the current generation may have prompted Manchester United to invest heavily in teenager Leny Yoro, but Liverpool would be wise to prioritize extending Van Dijk's contract.

In fact, securing Van Dijk's future may be more crucial than renewing the contracts of Salah or Alexander-Arnold. While both players are instrumental to Liverpool's success, the team's attack would still pose a threat without Salah, and Conor Bradley has already demonstrated his capabilities as a potential replacement for Alexander-Arnold at right-back.

Ultimately, Liverpool face a straightforward decision: extend Van Dijk's contract or risk a costly gamble on an unproven replacement. Given the defender's continued excellence, the choice seems clear.