Southampton reluctant to sell Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool

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Bengaluru, August 16: Southampton are still stubborn in their quest to prevent stalwart defender Virgil van Dijk joining Liverpool even though the Dutchman desperately wants to join the Reds, as per reports from the Liverpool Echo.

The South Coast club had complained to the FA about the Reds illegally approaching their star man. Despite Liverpool being relieved of any sanction, the relationship between the two clubs has since become bitter.

Boss Jurgen Klopp was considering a £50 million bid for the 26-year-old shortly after the transfer window opened, according to The Metro.

He is still hopeful Southampton will listen to a club-record offer in an attempt to break the Saints' resilience even if it looks progressively unlikely as the conclusion of the transfer window draws closer.

Instead, it is more probable Mauricio Pellegrino's side will do business with another club with both Chelsea and Manchester City also registering their interest in the player.

Nevertheless, Southampton still have a grain of hope that the team captain may have a change of heart and decide to stay at St.Mary's.

The only way, the Liverpool Echo says, that Van Dijk will end up in a Liverpool jersey is if the defender "digs his heels in and continues to sit on the sidelines in protest."

The Dutchman did not feature in any pre-season games for Southampton as he continued to train with the youth team after 'The Metro' also reported he had handed in a transfer request earlier this month.

Liverpool have raided Southampton as many as five times in the past few years having roped in the likes of Sadio Mane, Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Nathaniel Clyne, and the Saints fans would also love their club to turn down the mighty Reds this time.

We have to wait and see what happens to the van Dijk saga as the transfer deadline draws closer.