Liverpool look to have been dealt another blow in their pursuit of Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk. The 26-year-old Southampton star is heading out of St Mary’s after submitting a transfer request and the Merseyside giants have identified him as their main summer target.
 

Their well-documented row with The Saints however, which has left a bad taste in the mouth could well have cost them the chance of signing the player with Yahoo Sport claiming that the south-coast club will look to sell him to an alternative Premier League outfit.
 

With Chelsea and Manchester City both heavily linked with the player, Liverpool look to have dropped down the pecking order with Jurgen Klopp’s need for a world class defender evident after last weekend’s 3-3 draw against Watford.
 

Southampton on the other hand, have not given up hope that he could remain with them and are convinced they can talk the player round before the transfer window closes. Boss Mauricio Pellegrino told reporters after their opening day goalless draw against Swansea that; “Virgil is part of the squad and I can’t talk about something that right now is something I can’t manage as a manager.”
 

“Hopefully, I repeat again, we are waiting him to train with the team and to be part of the team again. I think all of us, the technical director, me as a manager, we know that Virgil is an important part of the club but we need him in another way.”