Former Liverpool defender and legend Mark Lawrenson has suggested that Liverpool might well end up signing Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk before the transfer window slams shut. He, however, went on to say that he has no information about the inside stories.
With just three weeks left until the deadline day, Southampton are trying their best to keep hold of Van Dijk. The towering Dutchman, on his part, has already handed in a transfer request and has made himself very clear about his intentions.
All this has lead to him being axed from the first-team training. The relationship between him and Southampton has grown sour, as he wants to leave, while the Saints are refusing to sanction any such transfer and want him to honour the six-year contract he signed last year.
Van Dijk hasn’t played a single game since February after he was taken off, due to an ankle injury, in Southampton’s 3-0 win over Leicester. Besides, he will also miss Southampton’s Premier League opener against Swansea City because he hasn’t played any of Southampton’s pre-season games.
His situation is getting complicated week after week, but Mark Lawrenson believes that Liverpool will end up signing the Dutchman, even after they publicly issued an apology and dropped off their interest in the former Celtic defender.
“I think they will end up getting Van Dijk,” Lawrenson told BBC Sport. “I have no inside knowledge but it would appear he wants to come to Liverpool.
“He brings quality, can play from the back, which is great, and with four centre-backs – Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan – it brings competition for places. Bringing in a quality player improves the games of the players around them. It keeps everyone on their toes.
“If you know you are going to play in week in, week out it is never quite the same. If you turn up on Friday and think ‘I didn’t play very well last week, am I going to play?’ it is completely different.”
It now remains to be seen if Liverpool make a move again or not, especially after Klopp suggested that he is happy with his current set of defenders. Only a couple of days back, Klopp was quoted by Sky Sports as saying, “It’s difficult how it is. We have four. I don’t think we need more. In the moment I’m fine.”
What do you think? Where will Van Dijk Be Playing This Season?
