Liverpool given major boost for keeping 'sensation' at Anfield

Liverpool have a lot of decisions to make over the next few months.

At the moment, things seem to be going fairly well in L4 with the Reds still unbeaten across all competitions.

Obviously, we're still early into the 2026-27 season so there is definitely time for things to change but, for now, fans don't really have all that many complaints.

It's clearly going to take some time for Liverpool's first-team squad to get fully adjusted to Andoni Iraola's ways but, when they do, it does feel like everything is going to fall into place.

However, as mentioned, many decisions still need to be made with some massive choices needing to take place before the January transfer window comes around, especially since so many players have their contracts expiring in June 2027.

At the moment, movement in the contract department has been slow but, thanks to some massive news, Liverpool may have been handed a huge boost in keeping one of their star men.

Julian Ward has been appointed as Liverpool's new sporting director

Virgil van Dijk and Alisson are the two main players who's deals expire in June 2027.

The duo are two main members of Liverpool's spine and are arguably two of the main reasons why they've been as dominant over the last few years.

However, both players have now entered the final years of their Liverpool contracts which could cause a bit of a problem.

During the summer transfer window, Van Dijk and Alisson both drew plenty of interest from the Serie A and, if their futures aren't tied down to Anfield by January, the duo could end up talking to foreign clubs about potential deals.

This would cause a massive problem for Liverpool as, even though both players are in the twilight stages of their career, they're both still so important to the way that the Reds play.

But, thanks to Julian Ward being appointed as the Reds' new sporting director, it does feel like Liverpool have been given a bit of a boost in keeping their captain around.

Julian Ward's appointment could help Liverpool with Virgil van Dijk's contract extension

Of all the people linked with becoming Liverpool's new sporting director after Richard Hughes, Ward makes a lot of sense.

With how much things have already changed behind the scenes this season thanks to the potential take over of Liverpool from Amit Bhatia's consortium, having some sort of continuity between the new and old strategies is going to be important.

Also, the fact that Ward has been around Liverpool for a while now means that he knows all the ins and outs of the club and he will also be able to understand exactly what they need.

Back in 2022, Ward was one of the main people behind Mohamed Salah's renewal.

And, although things ended a bit sourly between Liverpool and the Egyptian King, none of that was Ward's fault.

Ward having the experience of tying down a key player for a couple more years could be essential in Liverpool's attempt to keep Van Dijk around.

Because, even though he will be about to turn 36 by the time his deal expires, he's still likely to be a "sensation."

And, the fact that Iraola isn't wanting to use Van Dijk in the domestic cups much this season proves that he's trying to increase the longevity of his career and ensure that he's available for all the important games in the Premier League and the Champions League.