26-year-old eyed by Liverpool set for showdown talks with manager this week – report
By Harvey Byrne
Liverpool defender target Virgil van Dijk is set for showdown talks with manager Mauricio Pellegrino this week, according to a report.
The Liverpool Echo have claimed that the 26-year-old centre-back is set to hold discussions with his boss as Southampton return from their pre-season France trip.
The Holland international star was omitted from the training camp and has not played at all for the Saints this summer after the player informed Pellegrino of his desire to move to Anfield.
Southampton themselves are however reluctant to lose a player still contracted to the club until 2022 and Van Dijk has been told to train on his own until he accepts the stance that he’s not or sale.
The Saints are now hoping that Van Dijk will back down from his desire to move to Merseyside, but it is also said that if they show they are willing to listen to offer then Liverpool are prepared to smash their transfer record which was already broken this summer with the £36.9million signing of Mohamed Salah.
Football Insider verdict:
Jurgen Klopp has made it clear that Van Dijk is his top centre-back target with his continued pursuit alongside reported meetings with the defender before the window opened up. Now, Liverpool have reportedly cooled their interest in Naby Keita in the last week after a long drawn out saga and the Reds must now ensure that the same doesn’t happen with the Southampton centre-back. Unlike Keita, Van Dijk has made it known that he wants a move to Anfield and the Liverpool board must now back Klopp to ensure they can push on from last season’s fourth place finish, unlike when they finished second in 2014.
In other Liverpool transfer news, this versatile Reds ace has completed a move to a top-flight club.
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