Brendan Rodgers has revealed that he could have secured the services of Southampton star Virgil van Dijk during his time at Anfield but no green light was shown by the scouts.
The 25-year-old has been reaping up positive reviews since his £13 million move from Celtic to the St Mary’s Stadium in 2015 and is currently under the radar of a number of Premier League top clubs. He seems to be a centre-back who has it all in his locker to ballast any defensive line out there.
Van Dijk made most of his name at Celtic, where he racked up 76 appearances and scored 7 times. However, it’s somewhat surprising that Rodgers tracked the Dutchman’s availability during his time at Groningen. He could have arrived for a much lower fee but Liverpool’s scouts were dubious if the defender can make a grade in the Premier League.
“It’s about where the player is at, at the time of their ability,” Rodgers told the Evening Times.
“Virgil van Dijk could have jumped from Celtic to a Liverpool. Some clubs will want to see the players tested at certain areas first.
“But if there is enough belief in the player then that counts. The key for scouting is trying to predict when the player is peaking.
“You could see with Van Dijk that he was quick, strong, good on the ball and decent in the air.
“So what more do you need to see? You could see him playing international football and, okay, clubs may want to see him in Champions League.
“Wanyama left and then made the jump but he was a good player at Celtic, showing up well in the Champions League.
“There is maybe an issue with scouts.
“When I was at Liverpool I asked about van Dijk and he was at Groningen and then at Celtic. But I was told he wouldn’t be for us at the time.”
Yet the Holland international has slotted straight into Southampton’s backline and continued where he left off at his previous clubs. His physical strength, aerial prowess and close control of the ball have made him a dependable figure and a template to follow for other centre-backs who are huffing and puffing.
Defensive uncertainty has raised questions as to Liverpool’s credibility for a genuine title challenge in recent years and signing a player like him much earlier could have made a different story. Particularly when Rodgers was so close to nicking the Premier League crown in the 2013/14 campaign.
This season has been showing similar shades too. As a unit, the Reds are bagging mixed reviews at the back and no form of a silver bullet is available on the bench. And reports have kept on rolling that Jurgen Klopp is weighing up a £40 million bid for Van Dijk in the summer. Liverpool are not the only club eager to add him to their ranks, with Manchester City, Chelsea and Everton also in the frame. If it comes to a bidding war, the former two will certainly hold a greater advantage.
Southampton manager Claude Puel remains confident of not losing the grip of his star defender who penned a six-year contract last term.
At present, Van Dijk has missed the last three matches with an ankle injury and there are fears he might miss the rest of the season, which would be a big blow for the Saints. The Reds prying a player away from Southampton seems to be a transfer tradition these days and Puel will be vying to put an end to it.
Klopp’s men managed to stop the bleeding last weekend and picked up a vital 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at home. The manager and fans will be expecting a repeat of such performance when they travel to the King Power Stadium next to square off champions Leicester City.
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