What’s the story?
According to various reports in England, Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk has told Liverpool that he wants to move to the Anfield club this summer. The Dutch centre-back is a target for the Reds’ Premier League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea who have much more spending power compared to Liverpool.
The 25-year-old has reportedly spoken to his boss Claude Puel and the Merseyside club is his preferred destination. The French manager has repeatedly stated that Van Dijk was not for sale but may no longer have a say in the matter.
In case you didn’t know
Van Dijk joined Southampton from Celtic at the start of the 2015/16 season on a five-year contract and has since established himself as one of their key players. The 6’4” Dutchman made an instant impact at the club thanks to his strong presence in the air while his positional discipline saw him average nearly three interceptions a game.
Van Dijk soon became the club’s undisputed star, so much so that the Saints tried to tie him down to a long-term contract. In May 2016, he signed another six-year contract that sees his current deal run till the summer of 2022.
Also read: Arsenal confirm signing of Sead Kolasinac
The heart of the matter
With five years left on his contract, Van Dijk will not come cheap. Liverpool have signed a number of players from Southampton such as defenders Dejan Lovren and Nathaniel Clyne, and midfielders Adam Lallana and Sadio Mane.
City have reportedly offered to pay Van Dijk as much as £200K per week but it is understood that Liverpool are ready to match those wages. Should he sign, Van Dijk could break two records in doing so.
He will become the Anfield club's most expensive signing (the current record is held by Andy Carroll who cost Liverpool £35m) and he could also become the world's most expensive defender (the current record is held by David Luiz who cost Paris Saint-Germain £50m to sign from Chelsea).
Video: Scouting Virgil van Dijk
Author’s take
Should Van Dijk sign for Liverpool, it does send a message to other top clubs that Liverpool do mean business in the transfer market this season. It also seals the Saints’ status as a feeder club with no ambition to bridge the gap between mid-table and the top seven.
But with Champions League football back at Anfield, it is a step up for Van Dijk who can now truly test himself among the elite in Europe. Of course, there is the matter of the qualifier early next season but Liverpool will have done well to do their business early.
