Liverpool have finally wrapped up the transfer of Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk, the Dutchman will join the Reds in January and will become the most expensive defender in the world. Liverpool will pay no less than 75 million pounds for the central defender, surpassing the record set last summer by Manchester City when they paid 52 million pounds to AS Monaco for left-back Benjamin Mendy. Liverpool had also tried to sign Van Dijk last summer but the deal fell through despite the player having made a formal transfer request to his club.
Van Dijk had joined Southampton from Celtic for 13 million pounds in 2015 and now the Scottish club are set to make some more money as they had agreed a 10% sell-on clause with the Saints. Liverpool have announced that Van Dijk will wear the number four shirt after he joins on January 1st. The Dutchman scored 4 goals in 67 league appearances for Southampton and he has 16 caps for his national team. The 26-year-old defender started his career at Groningen in the Dutch top flight.
"Delighted and honoured to have agreed to become a Liverpool FC player," Virgil van Dijk said in a statement. "Today is a proud day for me and my family as I join one of the biggest clubs in world football. I can't wait to pull on the famous red shirt for the first time in front of the Kop and will give everything I have to try and help this great club achieve something special in the years to come. I would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to Les Reed, the board, manager, players, fans and everyone at Southampton. I will always be indebted to the club for giving me the opportunity to play in the Premier League and despite a difficult last few months, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Saints and have made friends for life at the club."
Liverpool are 1/2 at Bet365 to finish inside the Premier League top four this season.
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