Liverpool
Klopp Boost: Key Target Trying To Force £60m Move To Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk has refused to back down after reiterating his desire to leave Southampton and compete a potential £60m move to Liverpool this summer
Managers are now pressing ahead with their plans for the summer transfer window so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip from around the globe. Today, the latest on Virgil van Dijk’s future….
Virgil van Dijk has refused to back down after reiterating his desire to leave Southampton and compete a potential £60m move to Liverpool this summer, according to the Southern Daily Echo.
Jurgen Klopp has been chasing van Dijk all summer after making the Dutch international one of his prime transfer targets and a move initially looked to be on the cards.
The proposed deal was derailed when Southampton reported Liverpool to the Premier League for allegedly ‘tapping-up’ van Dijk and the Reds vowed to end their pursuit after issuing a public apology.
However, the 26-year-old’s head was turned and van Dijk has been training away from the rest of the Saints squad since informing new boss Mauricio Pellegrino he wanted to leave last month.
Southampton are determined not to lose their skipper this summer and had hoped van Dijk would accept their decision not to sell and rejoin the rest of his team-mates in training ahead of the new season next weekend.
However, the Southern Daily Echo claim that following fresh talks, the centre-back has reiterated his desire to leave and is refusing to back down so he will continue to be exiled from the squad.
Southampton maintain their stance that van Dijk won’t be sold this summer but the reality is the player’s position at the club is becoming untenable and he’s burned his bridges with the supporters, too.
The newspaper suggests van Dijk is valued at around £60m and while Liverpool insist they won’t make any formal move until Southampton make it clear they are willing to sell, I don’t see the south coast club being able to resist if the Merseysiders put a record bid on the table.
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We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out but as long as van Dijk holds his nerve then I think Southampton will be forced to cash-in during the final stages of the transfer window and Liverpool will finally get their man.
