The Virgil Van Dijk Stays at Southampton Thread

Then we shouldn't sell & roll over for Liverpool as always?

 

O well.

 

Bit of a dick move. Happy to sign a new contract last summer .... prob best if we get rid and move on i think

 

Mauricio Pellegrino on Virgil van Dijk:

“The boy said that he is not available to play because he wants to leave. This is the decision," said Pellegrino.

“I had to say 'if you don’t want to be involved because you don’t feel OK then you have to train alone until this period of time happens'.”

He added: “My relationship with Virgil is excellent. I was clear with the boy, and I was talking from the first day with him.

“The club was clear. The club told me they will not sell Virgil.

“I translated the idea of the club to the player and for me it was easy because I had to manage the dynamic of the team.

“Now he is not involved with the team because psychologically he is not 100 per cent. If you are not 100 per cent with the team I need to work with the players who are 1000 per cent to defend Southampton. It’s easy for me.”

“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,” said Pellegrino.

“I don’t want to say too much but we need the player, but 100 per cent. This is the question.”

When asked how long the situation could remain like this, and what might happen if it stays the same, Pellegrino replied: “I don’t know.

“I know I need all the players. I need the 25 players, I need Virgil to be involved in the dynamic every day and to be prepared to play.

“If the manager has got 26 soldiers instead of 23 it is better. We need everybody.

“When you sign a contract you are part of the team, because anyone can play your own game. It’s something we have to know from the beginning.

“The club was clear and for me it was easy, but I am responsible for the dynamic of the team.

“The group support this dynamic because we are respecting everybody, but we have to respect the club because that it is more important than any person.”

He continued: “I believe the team needs important players to be stronger but there is no player more important than all the rest. This is clear for me.

“There are a few examples that are more important than the rest – Di Stefano, Pele, I don’t know. We talk about George Best, Bobby Charlton, but I don’t know how many. Today maybe Messi.

“I believe any of us is not more important than the team, and this is crucial.

“The team needs important players, but important players need the team more than the other.”

 

Yeah good luck with that.

I can't wait for us to get a world record fee for a defender and half the fan base to kick off that its not enough

 

He needs to hand in a transfer request. He won't, because he's being greedy as well. If he wants to leave, fine. Do it properly.

 

Looks like my gut was wrong. Shame we couldn't talk him round. Don't be accepting a lesser fee then.

 

Thing is this weakens our negotiation position rather than strengthens it.

 

He played 4 months of a 6 year contract. That's got to be a record.

 

Yep, but we still shouldn't roll over. I am guessing Bertrand will be training with him soon...

I see the guy who told me both were leaving tonight. So will probably get more info.

 

More than likely.

Better get to work on those replacements Saints!

Though I suspect we already may be.

 

Cheers Virg.

 

He is not involved with the team because psychologically he is not 100%," Pellegrino said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, the Argentine added: "When I was talking with him, the boy said that he is not available to play because he wants to leave.

"I need to work with a player that works at 100% to defend Southampton.

"This is the decision. I had to say: 'OK, if you don't want to be involved because you don't feel OK, you have to train alone until this period of time.'"

 

No, Pellegrino has asked him to train alone. There's a difference.

 

Fair enough was always going to happen eventually, surprised it took this long tbh. I wonder if somebody else has bid for him behind the scenes and that's why this has now happened as if he was really set on Liverpool surely he would've done this a few weeks ago?

 

Well he's told him he's not available to play.

Not much difference really.

 

If I was Les, I'd sit him down and say two things:

1. Your value is £70m (or whatever fee Les thinks)

2. We will not sell you to Liverpool this summer. If you want to go to Liverpool, you go next summer but it's £10m more.

These are the terms. End of meeting.

Won't happen though.

 

Doubt it.

More likely that Liverpool have told his agent we're not playing ball so needs to do more his end.

 

Who else wants him?

 

If I was Les I'd tell him he's not ****ing going