Liverpool given transfer boost as Van Dijk ‘wants Southampton exit’

21 lug 2017

Liverpool are long time admirers of Virgil Van Dijk and the Reds have just been handed a huge transfer boost by new Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino. The Argentinean spoke to assembled media at Southampton’s Marchwood training ground revealing that Van Dijk, 26, is keen to leave the Saints.

“My relationship with Virgil is excellent. I was clear with the boy, and I was talking from the first day with him. The club was clear. The club told me they will not sell Virgil. I communicate the idea of the club to the players and for me it was easy [to leave Van Dijk out of training] because I had to manage the dynamic of the team."

“Now he is not involved with the team because psychologically he is not 100 per cent. If you are not 100 per cent with the team I need to work with the players who are 100 per cent to defend Southampton. It’s easy for me. The boy said that he is not available to play because he wants to leave. This is the decision”, Pellegrino said.