Dutch defender does not want to be a saint
It appears Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk just can’t help but stir the pot. After weeks of sitting on the sidelines as punishment for wanting to leave Southampton just months after he signed a contract extension, van Dijk was finally given a start against Stoke City in the latest round of the Premier League.
So how does he follow up being rewarded with that start? Well, he tells the media post-match that he still hoped to leave the club when the transfer window opens again in January.
‘‘Halfway through the season, maybe we can see what’s possible,’’ he said.
It will be interesting to see what sort of view Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino takes with van Dijk, who signed a new six-year contract in May 2016.
Liverpool ended their interest in the player in June after Southampton said they were going to report them to the Premier League for making an alleged illegal approach.
However, Van Dijk said he has ’’no regrets’’ about asking to leave Saints, who signed him for $24m in September, 2013.
‘‘I wanted to go one step up, but eventually Southampton did not want to let me go,’’ he said.
“It was arguably the most unfortunate situation of the last transfer window - Leicester City missing out on Sporting Lisbon star Adrien Silva by 14 seconds after the paperwork was late coming through.
Now, Leicester City might head to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to appeal Fifa’s decision to reject Silva’s registration.
Fifa rejected a Football Association appeal this week, so Leicester can still not register him to play.
Leicester will now only be able to add Silva to their playing squad when the transfer window reopens in January.
‘‘We cannot hide our disappointment or that of the player at the short-term consequences of the decision,’’ the club said in a statement.
‘‘We maintain, and have made strong representations to Fifa’s Players’ Status Committee, that all parties involved in Adrien’s transfer fulfilled their obligations, consistent with Fifa regulations and within the required timeframe.’’
“It’s the story that simply refuses to go away - that Barcelona continue to chase Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho and simply refuse to take no for an answer.
The Catalan giants pursued the Brazil international throughout the summer but failed to strike a deal for the attacking midfielder, seeing three offers rebuffed by Liverpool.
It ended in the last transfer window with Coutinho putting in a request to leave, a request that was also knocked back.
However, latest reports say Liverpool might finally be ready to accept an offer, as long as it’s to the sum of $328m.
“Grumpy German Mesut Ozil looks more and more likely to leave Arsenal.
The Evening Standard is reporting the 28-year-old, who has shown no indication he will commit his future to the Gunners, despite being offered a huge pay increase from $258,000-a-week to $462,000 every seven days.
Inter Milan have confirmed they are interested in signing Ozil but president Erick Thohir yesterday voiced doubts as to whether Arsenal would consider allowing him to leave before the end of the season.