Van Dijk makes shock decision in order to force Southampton exit

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Virgil van Dijk has taken extreme measures as he looks to secure a summer move away from Southampton before Thursday night’s transfer deadline.

The Dutchman has been subject to interest from both Liverpool and Chelsea since the end of last season, but has seen his efforts to force a transfer blocked by his current employers.

Saints officials have maintained that the defender is not for sale, despite the player having recently been exiled to train away from the first team after reiterating to the club of his wish to leave.

In a drastic twist, Van Dijk has switched agents and is now trying to break the terms of his current contract in a last-ditch effort to force Southampton’s hand, according to Independent.ie.

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Liverpool appeared front-runners in the race for Van Dijk at the beginning of the window, but were forced to release a statement apologising to Southampton and ‘ending all interest’ in the player after being subject to a complaint against an alleged illegal pursuit.

Though the apology was accepted, the incident has seemingly led the club to distancing itself from any negotiations with Liverpool.

Southampton have shown little to suggest they are prepared to budge from their stern insistence he will not be sold- somewhat matching Liverpool’s approach to the Philippe Coutinho transfer saga.

It promises to be an interesting final few days in what has been a bizarre and, admittedly, frustrating window.

Will changing agents have an impact? Perhaps not. It is a decision, however, that could prove to put more pressure on Southampton.

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