Saint Albert

It's basically an exercise in creative writing: Chelsea will be prepared to move again for Van Dijk if Southampton are ready to sell. Van Dijk, the Southampton defender, is understood to not be a top priority at this stage but Chelsea are continuing to monitor the situation and could make a bid before the transfer window closes.

I agree that Spurs are a well-run side when compared to the other Top Sixers but steady on...I'd rather set fire to my toenails than watch Spurs win the PL.

Thanks that was another good read from you.

I don't think that his decision to favour Klopp and Liverpool over other teams helped.

There was a moment towards the end of the game that caused me to raise my eyebrow, when he got burned for pace by one of Brentford's attackers who cut inside from the left flank. It led to decent a free-kick opportunity for the home side. I can't remember if he made the foul or if it was one of his teammates bailing him out.

This feels like the next dump in a continuing and escalating line of horse**** from Liverpool. It's part of their attempts to rehabilitate their continuing interest for VVD, since they arsed it up so royally in June. If Saints don't contact them after this public notice, Liverpool will still be in for him.

Some of the replies to his tweet...LOL...it seems like 90% of Liverpool supporters have no understanding of how irony works.

Le Tissier has a dig at Liverpool: https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/4078748/southampton-matt-le-tissier-liverpool-virgil-van-dijk-philippe-coutinho/

VVD may be angry at Les and the club but if he is so keen to leave he should have a good long look in the mirror and consider the tactics he's employed this summer. He and his agent have misplayed this situation by insisting on Liverpool and have rendered his desired move considerably less likely. And like others, I really don't care how angry VVD is, unless it damages the squad's morale. No one put a gun to his head and forced him to sign a six year contract last year.

City seem to be writing themselves out of the VVD market in the media, saying they're after a new CB but as a back up for Kompany, and not as a marquee signing.

Ah now I see it thanks. I was confounded by a combination of bad eyesight and unusual posting tactics. Seems like an odd thing to do that.

I missed the bit where Les sold VVD to Liverpool.

Jack Stephens was such a bright spot last year. I like his assurance with the ball. I was really keen to see how a VVD/Stephens partnership would work out in the upcoming season... p.s. I quoted Tom28's comments re VVD over to the VVD thread.

I'm concerned about the impact on the squad of keeping a player who is so clearly keen not to be a Saint. I'm not sure that VVD can recover in the eyes of the supporters, in the same way that Morgan did. This all makes Pellegrino's position more difficult. I suppose that selling VVD would also give the appearance of undercutting Pellegrino given his comments yesterday about being told by the club that we are going to keep VVD. It is overall an irritating and poor situation. It would be a positive development if VVD is considering clubs other than Liverpool, had they had not come out so publicly about his love for them and Klopp last month. Now his agent would have to convince teams like Chelsea or City to pay an irrationally high fee for him, knowing that they're his second choice. I would have hoped that Man City would be an option if we could use him to help get Iheanacho and/or Roberts over the line, but the media has reported that City are not impressed with our valuation notwithstanding that they have just spent 50M+ on Walker. Perhaps Barca want to use some of their Neymar money on a shiny new CB... Also, if the club does choose to sell, one question that has been floating around the Twitterverse is, what happens if Liverpool match whatever we accept from say Man City or Arsenal? Can VVD then force the move to Liverpool? Ultimately I suspect that Liverpool are the only club gullible, desperate and financially irresponsible enough to pay the amount that Les and co. are looking for.

This is Tom28's post today re VVD from the Stephens thread:

Wrong thread

In that case **** him. Greedy bastard.

It's the lack of respect for the club that makes me a little cranky. In case there are any doubts as to the fanbase we're dealing with over at Liverpool, here's some comments from our friends at RAWK: As an aside they really don't like being called some of the names that they are called on this site, which I have some sympathy with. They also seem convinced that we tapped up VVD from Celtic. I'm not sure that I remember quite what happened there, but if we did tap him up (something that most clubs seem to do) I don't recall Saints' sending this information to every possible contact in the media without first bothering to even contact Celtic. Perhaps Ron tempted him with a visit to Blackgang Chine. Who knows.

Saints are still well-positioned to keep him. For Morgan, all I remember is his infamous Twitter outburst after he was told he was staying. Then Victor Wanyama contracted a mysterious illness / injury (I forget which) before a Europa League qualifier and like VVD had a single-minded determination to go to just one club. In both cases, they only had two years left. They had not recently signed long term contracts. I just wonder where VVD sits on the scale of throwing toys out of the pram when compared to those two. Going on strike seems worse to me, which may make it harder for the club to keep him, and more difficult to re-integrate him when the transfer window expires.

This reminds me a little of the Payet situation, with a player going on strike shortly after signing a new deal, and insisting on going to only one other club. West Ham probably feel that they did not get top dollar for him because of that. According to Simon Peach, the club is still saying behind the scenes that he will not be sold this summer (same goes for Bertrand). Liverpool fans could be exhibiting premature triumphalism again.

It certainly appears like VVD's behaviour on the training field was just as passive-aggressive as his social media postings. Pellegrino sounds like a real leader. I feel sorry that he has to deal with this nonsense so early into his tenure.

More here from Sam Wallace in the Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/07/21/mauricio-pellegrinovirgil-van-dijk-wants-leave-southampton-not/ Liverpool were probably waiting for some sort of public demonstration from the player, which would allow them to "reignite" their interest. This may be it.

I like the Siggurdsson rumour. Part of the interest in this forum is, if someone sees something interesting, they post it. It reads to me like the info was provided here in good faith, and not without a little trepidation based on the reception many ITKs get on here. I hope it's true and not mistaken identity. It's not wildly unrealistic to suggest that a player from Swansea would want to come here notwithstanding reported interest from Everton, and he would be one hell of an addition. He's already had one sub-optimal experience at one of the big clubs. The reported price tag sounds like it's well outside the usual range of Saints signings, but this is already shaping up to be a crazy summer.

I looked at the second Echo article, which talks about the club's "extremely strong hand" in any potential VVD deal. It read like someone at the Echo is laying track down towards a future sale, to me. The odd thing was the Liverpool Echo published a bit yesterday, where the writer expressed doubt that Liverpool's VVD and Kieta pursuits would be successful. Who the hell knows what's happening...

Joyce of the Times reporting that Barcalona's offer for Coutinho is £72M / 80M Euros. I wonder if Catalonia has an equivalent to Blackpool?