James Pearce said on July 4 at 12:27pm that Virgil van Dijk is going nowhere and that suggestions Liverpool would consider offers are wide of the mark. He added that the captain is currently on holiday and will return for pre-season. That is the clearest line in the reporting, and it points away from any real summer move.
Pearce's line on Van Dijk
The quote leaves little room for the louder rumours. Pearce said Liverpool are not even considering offers for the defender, while new head coach Andoni Iraola is counting on him for 2026/27. On the face of it, that is a straightforward denial, not a hint that a sale is being prepared behind the scenes.
The wider picture around Van Dijk still looks like the profile of a player at the top level, not one being eased out. He has already played 4 matches for the Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup and has a 7.38 average rating across those games. He has also contributed 1 goal there, which is not the output of someone whose level has dropped off.
Why Liverpool noise has not gone away
The exit talk has persisted because Liverpool's wider summer picture is messy. They finished fifth in the Premier League with 60 points from 38 matches, and their last five league games brought a 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa, draws with Brentford and Chelsea, a 3-2 loss at Manchester United, and a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace. That is a run that invites scrutiny, even if it does not tell you anything specific about Van Dijk's status.
The rest of the market chatter is aimed elsewhere too. Fabrizio Romano said to keep an eye on Tottenham for Cody Gakpo because Tottenham have interest in the player, but Liverpool are not opening the door to an exit as of the beginning of July. There has also been separate interest in Van Dijk from AC Milan, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, yet the strongest sourced line still says Liverpool are not selling.
Pearce's report is the one that matters here. Van Dijk is on holiday, he is due back for pre-season, and the club's current stance is that offers are off the table. Unless that position changes, the captain starts the summer as part of Liverpool's plans, not the first major departure of it.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →