VAN DIJK BECOMES WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE DEFENDER

Liverpool agree world record deal to sign Saints’ Van Dijk

LONDON: Liverpool signed Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk (pic) for a reported £75mil (RM410mil) in a deal that makes him the world’s most expensive defender.

Van Dijk has been linked with a move to Liverpool for several months and the Anfield club were forced to issue an apology after an alleged illegal approach for the Holland international earlier this year.

Reds boss Juergen Klopp has remained determined to sign Van Dijk as he tries to shore up a leaky defence that has fatally damaged Liverpool’s English Premier League title ambitions.

“Delighted and honoured to have agreed to become a Liverpool FC player,” Van Dijk wrote on Twitter, alongside a photo of him with a Liverpool shirt.

“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.”

Although Chelsea and Manchester City were said to be interested in Van Dijk, Klopp has finally got his man on weekly wages of £180,000 (RM985,000).

“Liverpool Football Club can confirm they have reached an agreement with Southampton for the transfer of Virgil van Dijk,” a statement on the club’s website said.

“The Reds have agreed a deal with the south coast club, and the player himself, that will see the 26- year- old defender move to Anfield when the transfer window re-opens on January 1, 2018.”

The previous world record transfer for a defender was the £ 54mil ( RM295mil) Manchester City paid Tottenham for England rightback Kyle Walker in the close season.

Saints confirmed that Liverpool’s offer had shattered the record, but didn’t reveal the exact fee. Van Dijk, who moved to Southampton from Celtic in 2015, was left out at the start of the season by new Saints manager Mauricio Pellegrino after having a transfer request rejected.

The 26-year-old returned to the team but with speculation mounting about a January move, he was dropped for Southampton’s recent matches against Chelsea, Huddersfield and Tottenham.

Van Dijk could make his debut in the FA Cup third-round tie against Everton on Jan 5 after becoming the latest player to move from Southampton to Liverpool.

Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne and Sadio Mane have all made the same switch in recent years. —