Liverpool ended one of last summer’s longest transfer sagas on Wednesday announcing the transfer signing of Virgil Van Dijk.
Liverpool Football Club can confirm they have reached an agreement with Southampton for the transfer of Virgil van Dijk.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 27, 2017
Full story: https://t.co/tJy9vsGOen pic.twitter.com/L17A7UwqaU
The Telegraph in England is reporting that Liverpool and Southampton have agreed to a $100.5 million transfer fee for Virgil Van Dijk, who will complete the move to Merseyside in the coming days. The report states that personal terms for the transfer are around $241,000 per week (more than $12.5 million per year). Terms of the deal were not disclosed by Liverpool.
The news puts an end to an embarrassing transfer saga for Liverpool from the summer when it had been reported that Van Dijk wanted to leave Southampton for Liverpool and a fee of around $80 million had been offered by Jurgen Klopp’s club.
[ MORE: Premier League stats ]
71.9% - Since joining the Premier League in September 2015, Virgil van Dijk has recorded a higher duel success percentage than any other player (min. 50 PL apps). Red.
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) December 27, 2017
However, the leak from Van Dijk forced him to the reserves and ended up with a complaint to the Premier League and a public apology from Liverpool for pursuing him.
Without Van Dijk, Liverpool has had a number of matches this season where it had looked like it would run away with all three points, only for another team to come back and tie, such as Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League. or Arsenal in the Premier League.
Van Dijk hasn’t been on his best form this season but perhaps a move to his preferred landing spot will freshen him up ahead of the second half of the Premier League season as well as Champions League knockout stage matches beginning in February.
With no World Cup to look forward to, Van Dijk can put his whole energy into improving Liverpool’s beleaguered backline, potentially pushing the team above Chelsea and Manchester United in the Premier League table.
Van Dijk confirmed the transfer on Wednesday on his Instagram profile.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BdNxYbwHLXX/?taken-by=virgilvandijk
