Van Dijk in £75m move to Liverpool

Virgil van Dijk has set his sights on helping Liverpool achieve something special after a world-record deal for the centre-back was agreed with Southampton.

The Holland international will officially move to Anfield on January 1 in a transfer that is understood to be worth £75 million, the highest price paid for a defender.

The deal will eclipse the £54m spent by Manchester City to sign England full-back Kyle Walker from Tottenham during the summer and sees a protracted saga reach its end.

Van Dijk said: “Delighted and honoured to have agreed to become a Liverpool FC player.

“Today is a proud day for me and my family as I join one of the biggest clubs in world football.”

In a message on his Twitter page, where he posed with a Liverpool shirt, he added: “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.”

Van Dijk handed in a transfer request before the start of the new season, making it clear he wanted Southampton to take up the interest from Liverpool.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes the record fee will prove money well spent if Van Dijk helps the Reds to more success.

“Rio Ferdinand went to Manchester United, for I think just over £30m, but he repaid that. He was Manchester United’s top centre-back, won trophies and was there for 10 years,” Carragher said on Sky Sports.

“That’s what Van Dijk has to do – take Liverpool to trophies and be Liverpool’s main, number one, centre-back for the next decade or so.”

Van Dijk joined Southampton in September 2015 from Celtic, who are set to receive a hefty seven-figure sell-on fee.

Picture: PA. Former Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk will join Liverpool on Monday.