The rumours linking Virgil van Dijk to a Southampton exit have resurfaced little more than a week after the summer transfer window closed.
Liverpool’s seemingly summer-long interest in the Dutchman failed to materialise into an official bid, meaning the Reds did not acquire another central defender.
An approach may have been made, were it not for the club having to apologise for an alleged ‘illegal pursuit’ towards the beginning of the window.
Van Dijk will now be targeted by Juventus, who are eyeing up a January move for the 26-year-old, according to the Mirror.
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It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will revive their efforts to bring the defender to Anfield, with the Saints having shown no signs of budging from their insistence he will not be sold or becoming open to dealing with the Reds.
The player himself went to extreme lengths to push for a switch by handing in a transfer request, as well as issuing a statement expressing his desire to play European football and explaining that the club had fined him wages and forced him to train alone.
Van Dijk has since been reintegrated with the first team, but was not included in the squad for Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Watford.
After Liverpool’s crushing 5-0 defeat to Manchester City, it comes as no surprise that supporters are struggling to veil their frustration that the defence wasn’t strengthened more.
The Van Dijk rumours aren’t disappearing anytime soon.