- Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce reveals lengths club went to secure Virgil van Dijk
- Reds forced to work quickly to prevent Manchester City hijack
- Van Dijk agrees £75million deal to become world’s most expensive defender
- SEE MORE: Klopp reveals Liverpool defender’s future as Van Dijk agrees £75m deal
Liverpool were in no mood to squander their chances of signing Virgil van Dijk for a second time.
The club were under pressure to seal a deal for the Dutchman having failed to do so during an ugly and incompetent summer pursuit of the defender.
Meetings between the club and Van Dijk had led Southampton to lodge a formal complaint against an alleged illegal approach, forcing Liverpool to publicly apologise and shattering their chances of entering negotiations over a possible deal.
Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon has since operated behind-the-scenes to repair the relationship between the two clubs with Saints owner Ralph Krueger.
A deal was finally agreed on Wednesday, but not without Liverpool going all out to ensure they did not miss out on their priority target.
The Reds flew a team to Bournemouth Airport on Wednesday morning to complete Van Dijk’s medical and finalise the deal so Manchester City wouldn’t be granted the opportunity to hijack the move, according to the Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce.
The work put in to secure the transfer proved testament to not only Klopp’s appreciation for Van Dijk’s talent, but also the club’s determination to edge closer towards being a serious title challenger.
After making a mess of the initial attempt to sign the 26-year-old, Liverpool’s relevant officials deserve enormous credit for reviving the deal and refusing to shy away from the hefty price-tag.
In the signings of Van Dijk and Naby Keita, who will arrive from RB Leipzig in July 2018, Klopp has significantly bolstered the spine of his team- as planned at the beginning of the summer.
For Van Dijk to choose Liverpool over a guaranteed Premier League winner’s medal with Manchester City this season serves as more welcomed proof of Klopp’s luring powers.