25-year-old PL star ready to make emphatic decision amid Liverpool interest – report
By Harvey Byrne
Virgil van Dijk is ready to snub a move to Liverpool and remain at Southampton, according to a report.
The Sun has claimed that the 25-year-old Premier League star is set to stay on the south coast until the end of the 2017/18 season at the least after being handed a new long-term contract and the captain’s armband in the last year.
It is stated that upon handing the Holland international the captaincy after Jose Fonte’s departure in January that Southampton sought assurances that he was committed.
The Dutchman is rated at £50million by the south coast side, but that hasn’t stopped the Reds, Manchester United and City as well as Paris Saint-Germain as holding an interest in him.
However, it is believed that the player is set to make an emphatic decision to stay at the Hampshire based club for the foreseeable future.
“When Virgil took the captaincy it was on the understanding he would lead the team until the end of next season as a minimum,” told a club source to the Sun.
“He has a long-term contract and is settled at the club.”
Van Dijk joined Southampton in the summer of 2015 from Scottish giants Celtic for £13million.
He has played in 55 encounters in England’s top flight and is largely considered one of the best defender’s of the Premier League.
The centre-back area is a particular weakness for Liverpool and has been for a number of years now.
But, it looks as though they may need to turn their attentions elsewhere from their usual Southampton market.
Football Insider verdict:
This development will come as a blow to Liverpool. However, there must be questions as to whether the Reds would actually have been able to obtain him anyway. The Merseyside giants are one of the biggest clubs in England, but their poor form has seen them drop out of the Champions League spots, which could see them miss out on a number of targets. Additionally, both Manchester clubs and Paris-Saint Germain are three of the biggest spenders in world football. Each of them also have their problems in the back four and it is thought that Van Dijk may not have even been an option for Liverpool in the summer anyway. One thing that is sure however is that the Reds need defensive reinforcements in the next window and Jurgen Klopp must have a long list of potential targets to improve his side.
In other Liverpool transfer news, fans reacted on Twitter to this reported £150,000-a-week offer for playmaker.
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