Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has claimed that he would like to see Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk at Anfield, according to Daily Star. The Reds have dropped out of contention for the defender after Southampton complained to the Premier League for an illegal approach. Liverpool seemed like being on the verge of signing the player, who has also stated his intention to join Anfield over the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.
Virgil van Dijk came to Southampton two years ago, but he has made incredible progress so much so that almost every top Premier League club were interested in him even back in January. One of the primary reasons behind Southampton being in an extremely strong position is that the players still has five years left on his contract. He signed the six-year contract just over a year ago. He made only 21 league appearances last season, as the 25-year-old spent much of the second half on the sidelines due to an ankle injury.
Defence was one of the primary issues for Liverpool in the 2016-17 season, as the club conceded more than a goal per game on an average. Just before the transfer debacle of last week, Gerrard claimed that he would love to see Liverpool sign Virgil van Dijk has the marquee name this summer. He was quoted by the Daily Star as saying;
“I’d love to see him in a red shirt. I’m a huge fan.
“I thought he was fantastic at Celtic and I thought we should have had a go for him back then.
“It will cost us a few more quid but I think he is a piece of the jigsaw that would be very welcome and very big for this team.”
There will be a number of new arrivals at Anfield even if Virgil van Dijk may have dropped out of the list. Manager Jurgen Klopp is very keen on strengthening the squad in several areas of the pitch, as the team will have to cope with the increased demands of the Champions League and other tournaments over the course of the 2017-18 campaign. After having just qualified for the Champions League, Klopp will be expected to retain the club in the competition and possibly in for the title next season.
