Virgil Van Dijk, a centre-back for Southampton Football Club in the Premier League has demanded that the club sell him to a familiar business partner to which the team nicknamed the Saints is reportedly openly hostile. The Dutch international’s reasons for wanting to leave include a desire to play in more European competition, as opposed to only English domestic fixtures. His preferred destination is a familiar one for Southampton players; Liverpool FC, who have spent a combined 98 million pounds on getting players from Saint Mary’s to Anfield since 2014 under former boss Brendan Rodgers and current manager Jurgen Klopp. The names of the transfers including Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane, and Dejan Lovren among a total of seven players who have made the journey. However, this desired move has the potential to not happen at all due to other details in the relationship between the two clubs.
The issue is not the cost as Liverpool appear to be willing to splash 60 million pounds for the defender which would put him among the most expensive defenders of all time and given the record amount of spending this summer, it is possible the cost could go higher without Liverpool flinching. The issue is that earlier in the summer Southampton accused Liverpool of making an illegal approach to sign their captain, which was more than angry words as they eventually did file an official complaint with the Football Association. This renewed interest could end up blowing up in Liverpool’s face if Van Dijk’s current employers decide to hold a grudge. However even if he doesn’t get to go to what appears to be his first choice club, accusations have been made that the centre-back is refusing to train with his current teammates and that his relationship with management is poisonous as well so Van Dijk may end up getting to leave anyways even if it isn’t to go to Liverpool.
