Liverpool might just have their way when it comes to Virgil van Dijk coming to Merseyside as Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino has revealed that the Dutch defender wants to leave.
The 26-year-old Van Dijk has been a long-term target for us all summer but it seemed like the deal was off when Southampton threatened to report us to the Premier League for tapping their player.
We published an apology to all parties soon after that, but our interest in the defender stayed and it seems his head has now turned and the former Celtic man does not want to play for the Saints next season.
The Liverpool Echo carries a report, which states that the Dutch defender told Pellegrino that he does not want to play for Southampton. The new Saints manager stated:
“The boy said that he is not available to play because he wants to leave.”
“This is the decision. I had to say ‘if you don’t want to be involved because you don’t feel OK then you have to train alone until this period of time happens.'”
A Situation That Cannot Be Avoided
Van Dijk deciding to leave the Saints and taking matters into his own hands was bound to happen after we cooled our interest in the defender. We had agreed personal terms with the player but could not completed the formalities with the Saints as they threatened to report us.
Now with Van Dijk knowing that we want him to join, it isn’t a surprise that he has put in his request to leave the side, as many had reported that the Dutchman wants to only move to Liverpool this season and no other club.
The 26-year-old has been a prime target for Klopp this season and even if we do spend a bucket load on the defender, it will be a great signing and it will also show we are not willing to back down when it comes to signing the players that we want.
The next step would be the player submitting a transfer request and it is only a matter of time before we swoop in and get Van Dijk. Of course, Southampton will play hard-ball and try to hold onto their asset. But with a player that wants to leave and a side that is willing to pay top dollar, there could only be one conclusion to this story.
Van Dijk should be a Liverpool player sooner rather than later.
https://youtu.be/4ng5Nb4Cdk0
