Liverpool had to be content with a point at St Mary’s as Southampton put on a great defensive display to nullify the attack of the Merseyside club. The Reds were leading the Premier League coming into the game but could not break through a resilient defence and Virgil van Dijk was one player that stood out for Claude Puel’s side.
The Reds now seem to have targeted Southampton pair Van Dijk and Sam McQueen as they look to solve their problems in defence. Although Jurgen Klopp’s side did keep a clean sheet in the game, they still need cover for the centre-back and left-back positions.
Mamadou Sakho is a sure shot to leave the club in the January window and Klopp has been playing James Milner out of position as left-back and does not trust Alberto Moreno to start games as well. Van Dijk has been one of the most impressive players in the Premier League ever since he joined from Scottish club Celtic and the 25-year-old could be a great signing for the Reds.
The Daily Star reports that Liverpool could stump up £40m for the duo. While Van Dijk would certainly cost a huge amount from that £40m, Sam McQueen could be a cheaper player to purchase due to contract issues.
The 21-year-old, who can play as a left-back or a left winger, will become a free agent at the end of the season and Liverpool could be looking to take advantage of that. McQueen only made his Premier League debut this season but is highly rated and could be another Saints player that joins the Reds.
A history of Southampton stars joining Liverpool
The Saints are known for their excellent academy with the likes of Calum Chambers, Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale and Adam Lallana, to name a few, moving on to bigger clubs. Liverpool themselves have raided the club for its stars such as Rickie Lambert, Nathaniel Clyne and even Sadio Mane in recent seasons.
Van Dijk would certainly be a great addition to any team and even Puel was full of praise for the Dutch defender after the 0-0 draw against Liverpool.
“Since the beginning of the season van Dijk is fantastic and he now keeps good concentration.
“He has the quality and the capacity to defend one against one. It is important with our game because we try to have the ball.
“He can make very good progress and it is it important for the future.”
Liverpool have been known to get their way when wanting to sign Southampton players and it will be interesting to see just how much they actually have to bid if they want to sign the pair up.
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