Van Dijk bid has Hoops in money
CELTIC could finally be set to rake in a Virgil van Dijk windfall as Liverpool close in on the Dutch defender.
Southampton are reported to have agreed a staggering £75m fee for Van Dijk, a move which would make the former Celtic player the most expensive defender in world football.
The Parkhead side had a sell-on clause inserted into Van Dijk’s deal when he left Celtic for the Premiership two years, meaning that they are expected to bank just under £8m from the sale of the player in the coming weeks.
Van Dijk had made his desire for a move to Anfield clear last summer after a fee had been agreed between the clubs but the move broke down acrimoniously as Southampton reacted furiously when the news was leaked.
The club also turned down a lucrative offer from Chelsea in the final days of the window as they insisted that the player was going nowhere. Van Dijk was also left out at the beginning of the season amid concerns that his concentration has been affected by the situation regarding his contract.
Manchester City and Chelsea are both still interested in the 26-year-old defender whom Celtic signed from Groningen in 2013 in a £2.6m deal. Celtic sold the player to Southampton for £11.5m, a fee that rose to £13m as the player hit various other appearance and international landmarks.
Van Dijk has sat out of Southampton’s last three games against Chelsea, Huddersfield and Spurs, prompting speculation that Mauricio Pellegrino’s side wanted to protect their asset.
Celtic will feel the benefit if, as expected, the deal is formalised in the coming days.