Virgil van Dijk has said there was never any doubt in his mind about staying at Liverpool after he signed a new two-year contract worth up to £400,000 a week.

The Liverpool captain followed Mohamed Salah in committing his future to Anfield until 2027, having indicated a deal was close after he scored the winner against West Ham on Sunday.

Liverpool announced on Thursday that Van Dijk had signed the long-awaited contract, which will extend his hugely successful Anfield career to almost a decade and up to his 36th birthday. His previous contact was worth £220,000 a week and he will earn a similar wage, though with performance-related bonuses his pay could reach about £400,000 a week.

Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director, has been engaged in contract negotiations with the defender’s agent, Neil Fewings, for months. Despite uncertainty and speculation over Van Dijk’s position, both parties made clear from the outset that they wanted to extend his stay.

“It was always Liverpool,” the club captain said. “It was always in my head, it was always the plan and it was always Liverpool. There wasn’t any doubt in my head that this is the place to be for me and my family. I’m one of Liverpool. Someone called me the other day an adopted scouser – I’m really proud to hear these things, it gives me a great feeling.

“It always felt right. I said it from the first day on that it felt right and I think it showed in the years we have spent together up until now. And obviously more years to come.

“It is the place for me to be, to spend my best years, be successful with the club as we have been over the years and hopefully the future as well. And I love the city, I love the club, I love the fans. I love my teammates. I love everything that embodies Liverpool and on to many more.”

Van Dijk, who will be 34 in July, has enjoyed an outstanding season under his compatriot Arne Slot and reaffirmed his status as one of the finest defenders in the game. He ranks first for touches and successful passes by a defender in the Premier League this season, and is also in the top five for duels won, aerial duels won, headed clearances and interceptions.

The Netherlands captain has been ever-present in the Premier League this season, playing every minute, and will soon lift Liverpool’s record-equalling 20th league title. Slot’s team require six points in six games to become champions. The title would be won as early as Sunday should Arsenal lose at Ipswich and Liverpool win at Leicester. It will add to a roll-call of honours for Van Dijk at Liverpool that includes the Premier League title in 2020, the Champions League, the FA Cup, two League Cups, a Uefa Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

The news comes six days after Salah also signed a deal to 2027. The third leading Liverpool player out of contract this summer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, is expected to join Real Madrid at the end of June. Liverpool view the retention of Salah and Van Dijk as a statement of their ambition before what the captain recently admitted would be “a big summer” for the club.

Van Dijk said on Thursday: “Hopefully by the time the season ends we have an amazing party together. There’s still work to do and we have to realise it as well. But looking even further than that, I think it’s exciting, I think it’s exciting for what’s coming.

“Hopefully a very good pre-season and it’s going to be a very difficult Premier League season what’s waiting for us next year because everyone will try to improve, will get new additions, like we should as well, and then we have to compete and we have to show our qualities, show our consistency. And on top of that, maybe even more importantly, we have to enjoy it. I will certainly do it because I realise how privileged and blessed I am to play for Liverpool FC.”