Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has opened up on the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Mohamed Salah’s future at Anfield. The Dutch defender confirmed that he has personally encouraged Salah to remain at the club, though he acknowledged that the final decision rests with the Egypt international, especially following his participation in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah had expressed frustration after Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United, suggesting that he felt “thrown under the bus” by the club and indicating that his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had deteriorated.

Van Dijk, however, stressed the importance of maintaining a united squad amid the speculation. “Of course I’ve told him I want him to stay. I would love to have him around because he is one of the leaders. But right now, he’s heading to AFCON, and we’ll stay in contact over the next days and weeks. That’s how it is,” Van Dijk said.

Addressing concerns over how recent events might have affected the team, the Liverpool captain was confident in his squad’s response. “Did this week affect the players? No. Did you see the performances? There’s a lot of noise around this, but as captain, it’s my responsibility to manage how the players react, and in my view, everyone handled it perfectly. Mo himself was fine—he trained well and didn’t travel to Milan, but during our sessions he was fully focused and professional.”

Van Dijk’s comments underline his desire to see Salah continue as a key figure at Liverpool while emphasizing the resilience and focus of the squad as they navigate the ongoing speculation surrounding one of their star players