Southampton Reiterates Desire to Keep Virgil van Dijk

Perhaps it is because it is summer. Or perhaps it is because the repetitive nature of this transfer window is driving me insane, but I am reminded of singing camp songs as a child:

“Second verse! Same as the first! A little bit louder, and a little bit worse!”

So it goes. Another day, another repeat of the endless will he or won’t he cycle with Liverpool target Virgil van Dijk. The 26-year-old Dutch defender has been sent to train away from the rest of the squad, and has since reiterated his desire to leave. (#FreeVVD #BoycottRedBull). In response, Mauricio Pellegrino has reiterated the stance that Southampton do not want to sell Virgil van Dijk.

“I would like to bring the boy and to persuade him that he’s important for us and the club will not sell him,” Pellegrino said.

“We are expecting the best for everyone, even for Virgil, but he doesn't want to be part of the team.

“This is the reason he is aside from the team.”

"We continue in the same way. The situation is the same.

“I can’t say no more, because the situation is the boy is aside of the team because he doesn't want to play for us.”

That’s too bad. Would £70 million solve the problem? Please?

Unfortunately the problem for Liverpool still remains: they must be careful about how they proceed in order to not reignite the “tapping up” allegations from earlier this summer.

This puts the onus back on van Dijk, although from the outside looking in it looks like the relationship is past the point of no return. The defender could still hand in a transfer request, or try sending body parts ahead to Merseyside.

Regardless, for those hoping for a quick resolution to this saga, it doesn’t appear to be in the works any time soon.