Virgil Transfer Rumours - Summer 17

VAN DIJK SEEKING EXIT

Some big news from Southampton as Virgil van Dijk has said he wants to leave and is not in a fit “psychological” state to play, according to manager Mauricio Pellegrino.

The defender has been linked with a move to Liverpool, and new Saints boss Pellegrino is quoted by the Daily Telegraph as saying: "The boy said that he is not available to play because he wants to leave. This is the decision.

"I had to say, ‘If you don’t want to be involved because you don’t feel okay then you have to train alone until this period of time is over."

Asked if Van Dijk would leave, Pellgerino said: “I repeat that the club said not. I hope that Virgil can review his feelings because you know that today a player is big business. Not just the player but behind them is a lot of interests.

"I don’t want to say too much but we need the player, 100 per cent. I want to help the squad, I want to help Virgil, but we need a player, and I repeat, involved in every training session, not just with the body but with the mind on the pitch with the rest of the players

http://www.skysports.com/transfer-centre

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.

Must say I like Pelligrino's stance.

 

Have liked him from the outset.

That was exactly the Morgan situation.

Although MP does acknowledge that players are business, and makes it clear no player is bigger than the team.

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If we get the money we want, he's gone. The 6 year contract he signed with us benefitted us as much as him as it means we have a degree of control over the money we get. Shame that we lose him really but I don't think his heart was in it as much after RK left and was replaced with the less inspirational Claude. Ah well, we will absolutely smash the net spend league this year once his fee is in the bag.

If we get the money we want, he's gone

Agreed, this is beginning of the end now. Anyone except Liverpool (or Everton) though.

If we get the money we want, he's gone. The 6 year contract he signed with us benefitted us as much as him as it means we have a degree of control over the money we get. Shame that we lose him really but I don't think his heart was in it as much after RK left and was replaced with the less inspirational Claude. Ah well, we will absolutely smash the net spend league this year once his fee is in the bag.

If we get the money we want from someone other than Liverpool, he's gone.

Fair play to Tom28 for posting and then standing by it when the usual suspects went apesh*t.

Agreed, this is beginning of the end now. Anyone except Liverpool (or Everton) though.

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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.

If we get the money we want from someone other than Liverpool, he's gone.

I wouldn't mind Roberts, Iheanacho and some cash from Man City. Couldn't care less about VVD now, as soon as players start doing the "head not right" routine they are just cvnts.

I hope he's being fined all his wages while he's "on strike" I wouldn't get paid if I refused to carry out my duties at work so neither should a millionaire footballer!

Les and co will look absolute numpties if they sell him to Liverpool. Just days ago we were fed the "he's not involved because he's still recovering from the injury" bull.

Tell him to get his head right or it's another 9 months of training alone and no World Cup. He'll soon grasp it.

Get rid - we don't need players like this

This is now about more than just VVD and Southampton. If the club caves in from their stance and let him go it will send out a message to every single player who wants to leave any club. If they hold firm and maintain he sorts his head out as he is not for sale that sends out a positive message for all clubs in this very situation.

Its about time these bloody petulant child like footballers are introduced to the word no !

Get rid - we don't need players like this

It's not just about van Dijk and this window or this season though.

We've suffered more than most from tapping up, usually to Liverpool. If we can do something about that we'll be far better off for it.

If we get the money we want from someone other than Liverpool, he's gone.

Would genuinely take less money from City if he meant him not going to Liverpool.

I think Virgil is a top, top player.

Best central defender I've seen in Saints colours over (too) many years supporting the Saints.

I had hoped he was decent individual who would stand by the long term contract he signed last year.

However there are very few honourable players about these days and Virgil seems to be no exception to this.

If he wants away, let him go for the best deal on offer even if this means Liverpool who will be seen by many fair minded people as a lot of shyshters who tell lies.

We can tell Virgil he must stay but if his heart is not here his form will suffer and the relationship with the fans, which is now tainted, will become toxic.

Best maximise value from the bloke and look to get in the best replacement as possible (and plus a decent defensive midfielder) and hope Virgil suffers a recurrence of his recent injury soon after leaving Saints (as long as this doesn't impact on his transfer fee)

It hurts me to say this but I am fed up with our club (and others) being shafted by Agents and players.

Egg on a few faces just now.... Few apologies owed to Tom too

For the sake of the final dignity of football he needs to put a transfer request in. Surely he'll be rich enough to forgo the 'loyalty' bonus. Just makes him look shady - I want to leave so won't play but equally want my loyalty bonus, huge new contract, and signing on fee. All that said nothing surprises me in football anymore.

This is now about more than just VVD and Southampton. If the club caves in from their stance and let him go it will send out a message to every single player who wants to leave any club. If they hold firm and maintain he sorts his head out as he is not for sale that sends out a positive message for all clubs in this very situation.

 

Its about time these bloody petulant child like footballers are introduced to the word no !

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The thing I dislike is players signing extended contracts, benefiting from increased pay and thinking they can just break the contract when it suits them. The argument that the transfer fee is higher is not wholly relevant. But ever since his incredibly rude and disrespectful no show at the player's awards, the writing has been on the wall.

Still, tge situation is not really much different from what it has been. If no one makes the right offer....

Typical ****ing greedy footballer. He's the one who signed a 6 year contract. ****!

It's sad that football has gone the way it has. Players get paid a **** ton of money, sign a new contract and then want to leave.

Although it will be difficult I think the club should make a stand as it will stop others thinking the same. Even for £70m I would not sell. As a fan, having a huge bank balance means nothing to me. VVD has obviously had his head turned by Liverscum and its clear the FA would do nothing about it. He has a long contract with us and so we hold all the cards. If Les goes back on his word and decides to sell him it cannot be to Liverpool. We have to stand up to those bullies.

This is now about more than just VVD and Southampton. If the club caves in from their stance and let him go it will send out a message to every single player who wants to leave any club. If they hold firm and maintain he sorts his head out as he is not for sale that sends out a positive message for all clubs in this very situation.

 

Its about time these bloody petulant child like footballers are introduced to the word no !

Brilliant assesment of thier mental frame of mind...............throw a hissy fit and ill get what i want kind of attituide.

Let him rot, he signed a contract so can serve it out.

So who is going to be the first to apologies to Tom?

If it was me personally, I'd be telling he can move on a free in five years time, but I'm not sure the team would end up better off by doing that...

Brilliant assesment of thier mental frame of mind...............throw a hissy fit and ill get what i want kind of attituide.

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Amazing how just this one bit of info has turned the fans into 'get rid'

His action has no doubt cost us 10m+ in transfer revenue. I believe we should let him rot for a couple of months, otherwise it sets a bar again and again for a player wanting to leave. Had he been in the Jrod situation where he was injured for over a year he would not be saying he wanted to play for Liverpool he would just be happy to take his wages.

Add to that the fans of club having to stand the Liverpool fans crowing. Personally this also effects the long term young fanbase as they will get turned off supporting us and may just think may as well support the Scoucers. I myself feel a little less a Saints fan everytime we lose a star to them

Apologies from me Tom28 - shot you down when in fm fact you were spot on. And VVD, what an absolute s*it. Captain fantastic eh.

Immediate reaction as a fan is to take the money we want and get him out, but from an impartial footballing point of view, if we can keep and get him refocused he is clearly a huge player for us and we won't get better.

If we do keep him I suppose, in a World Cup year he's more likely to knuckle down as we saw with Morgan than go through the motions which really, was more what Victor did.

80 million or f##k off.... As for Virgil improve your attitude or your be playing in the reserves all season..... Not rocket science

Well you could have seen this coming from a mile away, nothing new here. Just sell him and move on.

Got to keep him now & rely on him coming to terms with staying once the transfer window closes

The alternative is the club looking incredibly weak, us being robbed cheaply by Liverpool, then having to shop late in the window when no one will be wanting to sell anyone good and whatever replacement we do end up getting will be for a vastly inflated fee.

Amazing how just this one bit of info has turned the fans into 'get rid'

 

His action has no doubt cost us 10m+ in transfer revenue. I believe we should let him rot for a couple of months, otherwise it sets a bar again and again for a player wanting to leave. Had he been in the Jrod situation where he was injured for over a year he would not be saying he wanted to play for Liverpool he would just be happy to take his wages.

Add to that the fans of club having to stand the Liverpool fans crowing. Personally this also effects the long term young fanbase as they will get turned off supporting us and may just think may as well support the Scoucers. I myself feel a little less a Saints fan everytime we lose a star to them

If they show interest, reopen the complaint. After all, it was their tapping-up that started this. Refuse all offers from them.

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Depends on what the owner wants to do. You can't run a company / club by letting players go when they feel like it.

Sack him, report him, his agent and Liverpool to FIFA/Court of Arbitration for Sport, and sue the lot of them for breach of contract and damages.

This situation is entirely the result of Liverpool, Van Dijk and his agent breaking the rules - Saints have done nothing wrong.

Obviously not going to happen...

It will be a ****ing embarrassment if we sell to Liverpool.

Well you could have seen this coming from a mile away, nothing new here. Just sell him and move on.

Spot on, this is what needs to happen illico. We take a massive profit and he gets the level of football he wants.

Like the way Pellegrino dealt with it.

We will have known this would happen so will be interesting how long we will wait for his attitude to change bearing in mind that if we were to sell we need to replace VVD which wouldn't be easy towards the end of the window. With him our defensive options look good. Without him they look very ropey.

Certainly hard to see much other than Yoshida and Stephens for the first few games of the season as this will likely go on til end of August.

Ultimately though, sell to Liverpool and the club lose a lot of credibility.

One other possibility: Pellegrino may prefer having the money to spend.

It's not just about van Dijk and this window or this season though.

 

We've suffered more than most from tapping up, usually to Liverpool. If we can do something about that we'll be far better off for it.

Exactly the club has to grow a pair and put a their foot down if we allow him to go Liverpool we are basically saying we will accept tapping up and players misbehaving and will be an easy mark in the future.

Amazing how just this one bit of info has turned the fans into 'get rid'

 

His action has no doubt cost us 10m+ in transfer revenue. I believe we should let him rot for a couple of months, otherwise it sets a bar again and again for a player wanting to leave. Had he been in the Jrod situation where he was injured for over a year he would not be saying he wanted to play for Liverpool he would just be happy to take his wages.

Add to that the fans of club having to stand the Liverpool fans crowing. Personally this also effects the long term young fanbase as they will get turned off supporting us and may just think may as well support the Scoucers. I myself feel a little less a Saints fan everytime we lose a star to them

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VVD's stance is very strange. We know for a fact that Saints haven't rejected any bids for him... because nobody has made any bids for him. If he only had two or even one year on his contract, then he'd be in a position of strength. But the club holds all the cards here.

The club do not hold all the cards if Vvd refuses to play.

I would be more than happy for him to spend the season in the development squad. I think it would be a massive mistake if the club were to sell him to Liverpool after their blatant tapping up. VVD himself should be disciplined and docked wages for meeting with Klopp in the first place.

The club do not hold all the cards if Vvd refuses to play.

The club holds THE card - the player's registration.

They do hold all the cards. If he doesn't play he makes himself look stupid and damages his international career. Do you really think he wouldn't play for a whole season?

Spot on, this is what needs to happen illico. We take a massive profit and he gets the level of football he wants.

Which then sends a message to every club that if you want any of our players just unsettle them and we will sell. It also sends the message your shiny new contract you just signed means nothing.

If we sell and especially to Liverpool we will be seen to be weak and a walk over for anyone who wishes to leave. There is a right and wrong way to do business and that isn't it.

Spot on, this is what needs to happen illico. We take a massive profit and he gets the level of football he wants.

Since when was that our (i.e. Southampton) concern?

The club holds THE card - the player's registration.

He's still contracted to us and stays and rots until we decide to let him go.

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The club do not hold all the cards if Vvd refuses to play.

He might refuse to play now, but if and that is a f00king big if, the club stand strong, 10 seconds after the transfer window closes, he will have no choice...... especially with a World Cup not a million miles away.