Southampton central defender Virgil van Dijk has no regrets at all about his summer transfer window soap opera which saw his desired move to Liverpool FC never materialize. The Saints center back did more than just say he’s “not sorry” about anything, he even went so far as to say that he’s hoping a transfer could happen in January.
“I’m glad I’m fit again and I can give up 100 percent,” van Dijk said in an interview with FOX Sports Netherlands.
“I’m not sorry for anything. Of course, I wanted to make a step up, but Southampton did not want me to sell me, but you’re a professional, so now I’ll give everything to the club. Halfway through the season, maybe we can see what’s possible.”
Liverpool had to make a public apology for “tapping up” Van Dijk this summer, and the longer the protracted saga carried out during this past window, the more we all became certain a deal was just not going to happen. Liverpool declared themselves no longer interested in acquiring the player once reports surfaced that they had met with him illegally.
Unfortunately for Anfield the back line, the club didn’t seem to have a good contingency plan though, as they were unable to secure a good fallback option at the position once it became clear Van Dijk wasn’t coming.
Thus, the Reds serious struggles in central defense have continued this season.
Van Dijk is currently on international duty with the Netherlands, but it’s obvious from these comments that he’s still fixated on where he wants to play club football in the future, and it’s obviously not at the St. Mary’s.
Southampton have said time and time again that Van Dijk is not for sale, but it’s difficult to keep someone who really desperately wants to leave. Not to mention that Liverpool have both the dire need and the deep pockets to obtain him. Van Dijk would command a hefty price tag in the transfer market so watch this space come January.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now and Minute Media. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Sound Cloud, LinkedIn and YouTube.