Netherlands manager Dick Advocaat has urge Southampton allow the Saints star defender Virgial van Dijk to leave the club – despite condemning the way that the centre half has reacted about his business.
Van Dijk seemed very close to joining Liverpool this summer – stating his desire to move to the Anfield and a fee rumoured to have been agreed. However, after news broke that Jurgen Klopp’s side had been tapping up van Dijk illegally, the club reported the Anfield outfit to the FA, causing Liverpool to immediately drop their interest.
And now, the player finds himself training alone due to his desire to leave to the club – but Netherlands boss Dick Advocaat seems to think that the Saints should give in to his demands.
“You can condemn it (Van Dijk’s actions), but come on, if you can earn five times as much at a top English club then I understand that,” Advocaat told Dutch news outlet AD.
However, new Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino has reiterated his stance with the player, claiming that he is happy to wait until the defender wants to be part of the team before reuniting him with the rest of the squad. They club seem adamant not to sell.
“The situation is the same. I can’t say no more, because the situation is the boy is aside of the team because he doesn’t want to play for us.
“I would like to bring the boy and to persuade him that he’s important for us and the club will not sell him. We are expecting the best for everyone, even for Virgil, but he doesn’t want to be part of the team.”
Pellegrino side first Premier League match of the season comes on August 12 as they host Swansea. Whether the Dutch player will be part of the team remains to be seen.