No deal Liverpool forced to apologise and end £60m pursuit of Saints’ Van Dijk
Club act after claims of ‘tapping up’ defender Southampton complaint forces swift climbdown
Liverpool were last night forced into a humiliating climbdown in their pursuit of Virgil van Dijk, with the club having to shelve a potential world-record deal for the defender and publicly apologise to Southampton.
It followed a still-active complaint by Southampton to the Premier League and a demand that it launch an investigation into whether Liverpool made an illegal approach for their captain. That request by Southampton has not been dropped even after Liverpool’s contrite statement and the Premier League will now speak to both clubs before deciding whether disciplinary action should follow.
There is a suggestion the Premier League might not investigate if both clubs are willing to put the matter behind them, although that would leave it open to accusations of turning a blind eye to potentially significant rule-breaking.
It is understood that Southampton have evidence to back their complaint and, following discussions yesterday between the two clubs, Liverpool opted for what amounted to a path of damage limitation. Liverpool were sanctioned this year by the Premier League for ‘tapping up’ a schoolboy player and offering him and his family inducements. In that instance, they were fined £100,000 and banned from signing academy players for at least a year.
The highest-profile proven case of ‘tapping up’ in the Premier League remains the Ashley Cole affair when Chelsea were caught meeting Cole in 2005 while he was still at Arsenal and which resulted in a series of six-figure fines and a suspended three-point deduction. Southampton’s complaint had followed widespread reports that Van Dijk wanted to join Liverpool rather than Manchester City or Chelsea. Southampton were adamant that they had received no approach for the 25-year-old Dutchman.
They were especially concerned to read repeated claims that Van Dijk had been attracted by the chance to work with Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, and a vision for how he might fit into his team, as well details of a prospective £180,000-a-week salary. It was also alleged yesterday that Van Dijk was flown for a meeting in Blackpool with Klopp and received regular messages from the Liverpool manager. Liverpool declined to comment on the claims.
Premier League rules state that no club official or intermediary can make a direct or indirect approach to a player unless he is either out of contract or they have written consent from the selling club.
Liverpool initially made no public comment but, after being asked for their observations by the Premier League and then a day of discussions with Southampton, issued an extraordinary statement.
“Liverpool Football Club would like to put on record our regret over recent media speculation regarding Southampton Football Club and player transfers between the two clubs,” said the statement. “We apologise to the owner, board of directors and fans of Southampton for any misunderstanding regarding Virgil van Dijk. We respect Southampton’s position and can confirm we have ended any interest in the player.”
Liverpool’s decision now not to bid for Van Dijk will also ensure the competing interest of Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal is reinvigorated. Southampton, though, now regard even a fee of £50million or £60million as insufficient.
They are also currently looking to Germany as they weigh up potential managerial successors to Claude Puel, who remains likely to be sacked, with Roger Schmidt and Thomas Tuchel on their shortlist.
Schmidt is a leading candidate after leaving Bayer Leverkusen in March. Tuchel left Borussia Dortmund last month.