Liverpool’s yearly attempts to sign Southampton’s best players has stepped up a notch with their efforts to sign Virgil van Dijk, with the Saints alleging that the Reds have made an illegal approach for the Dutchman as Jurgen Klopp bids to strengthen his defence.
Van Dijk wants to follow in many, many footsteps and complete a move from the south coast to Anfield this summer, but that move might now be tougher to make after his club seemingly reached the end of their tether.
The Saints have seen Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne and Sadio Mane all move to Liverpool in the last three years, and they are understandably more than a little fed up with losing their best players.
This has created a new Premier League rivalry, with Southampton fans never shy of throwing shade on Liverpool at every opportunity. The Reds faced the Saints four times last season and failed to score once, and their supporters clearly don’t think much of a club they keep losing players to.
But this odd new rivalry isn’t alone.
Here are five others in which neither geography nor a long history play any part.
They just REALLY don’t like each other.
Tony Pulis and Arsene Wenger were the men to blame for igniting this one, with the Frenchman once calling Pulis’s Stoke a “rugby team” to ignite a pretty ugly spat between them, and then there was the Ryan Shawcross-Aaron Ramsey leg break incident which is still sung about to this day.
There have been plenty more unsavoury incidents during the recent history of this clash of styles too.
They really don’t get on.
When the 2015/16 Premier League title race boiled down to these two unlikely teams, they started disliking each other .
After Harry Kane had suggested the Spurs players were lions hunting down their prey, Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Chelsea eventually confirmed Leicester as champions, and Jamie Vardy had a brilliant response.
“El Cashico” - as it is now known in some circles - wouldn’t have been given a second look when it came to casting an eye over English football’s biggest about 15 years ago, but things are now very different.
Roman Abramovich’s arrival in West London and City’s transformation from Premier League yo-yo club to money machine have created a new rivalry, and it would be no surprise if these two finished as the top two in the league next season.
With characters like Pulis and Mark Hughes involved, then it is no surprise that things can get feisty when these two clubs go head-to-head.
There was actually somewhat of an historical rivalry that dates back to the early nineties, but it has been ramped up recently with West Brom “leaking” the news that Saido Berahino had served a drugs ban within days of him joining Stoke, Baggies boss Pulis calling his former Stoke player Shawcross a “loser” and the recent acrimonious switch between the clubs by Darren Fletcher.
No, Sheffield United aren’t currently a Premier League club, but plenty of their fans will tell you that that is because of West Ham.
The Hammers’ controversial 2006 signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano were one of the main reasons why the Hammers stayed up and United went down that season - with Tevez scoring the goals which secured safety - and there has been understandable bad blood ever since .
That is according to former England international Danny Mills, who believes the possible transfer fee is “ridiculous”.
Southampton defender Van Dijk has decided he wants to move to Anfield this summer.
Manchester City and Chelsea were in the hunt but Van Dijk was won over by Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool now have to agree a fee with Southampton and, despite his reservations about the price tag, Mills believes the Holland international is only going to improve.
“He will get better, 25 is a great age,” he said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Virgil van Dijk appeared to have made his mind up, the Southampton star reportedly chose Liverpool over Manchester City and a move to Anfield would now be a formality.
But Saints did not take kindly to the celebrations coming from Reds fans and swiftly voiced their discontent at the manner in which Liverpool had conducted their business.
They have reported the Reds to the Premier League for tapping up the Dutch international and are vehemently denying any sale will take place.
We’ve seen this one before and it will likely run until the end of the window, but what will happen in the coming weeks and what needs to occur for Jurgen Klopp to get his man?
Neil Jones at the Liverpool Echo takes a look:
Let’s start with the obvious. Liverpool are yet to agree a fee with Southampton for the player.
A fair obstacle, given Saints have insisted publicly that they are not under pressure to sell players this summer.
Van Dijk is 12 months into a six-year contract, and is ‘team captain’ at St Mary’s. He will cost a hell of a lot of money.
Liverpool know they will have to smash their transfer record, which stands at £35m, if they are to sign him. A world record fee for a defender, more than £50m, can be expected.
Southampton, it is understood, will owe some of that fee to Celtic. Van Dijk’s former club insisted on a sell-on clause when the player moved to England in 2015, and are entitled to 10% of whatever Saints make. That will be factored in to negotiations.
The key to remember, though, is how much work Liverpool have put into convincing Van Dijk to come to the club. Unlikely, then, that they would have done that without being willing to meet Southampton’s asking price, whatever that ends up being.
Of course, the path from St Mary’s to Anfield has been very well trodden in recent years.
Were Van Dijk to join Liverpool, he would be the sixth player to make the move since 2014.
That suggests the clubs are able to negotiate with each other, although it is known that Liverpool’s pursuit of both Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren created a bit of bad blood. Both have been routinely booed when returning to Southampton.
Southampton today escalated affairs by apparently reporting the Reds to the Premier League for an “illegal approach” to the player. That has not been officially confirmed yet but will likely lead to the authorities asking the Reds for their “observations” on the matter before anything more significant develops.
It could all, of course, be simply part of the selling club keeping their own fans happy and ensuring they play hard ball for the best possible price if they are to let a prized asset leave St Mary’s.
Ross Wilson is Saints’ head of recruitment and scouting, and the man who handles their transfer negotiations, while Michael Edwards will perform the same role for Liverpool.
Southampton have proven adept at securing good fees when selling players on in recent years – in addition to Lallana and Lovren, they have sold Sadio Mane , Nathaniel Clyne , Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers, Victor Wanyama and Morgan Schneiderlin for big money – but have also shown that, in the end, if a player wants to move, he will get his wish.
This should be the easiest part. Liverpool have been encouraged by what they’ve heard from Van Dijk and his camp, and have already cleared the biggest hurdle in that regard.
They’re willing to meet his wage demands, and were always confident that finance would not be the driving force behind the player’s decision.
Standard, of course. Van Dijk missed the last five months of the Premier League season after suffering a damaged ligament in the sole of his foot back in January.
He underwent surgery on that, but has recently been posting videos showing him back on the field, running, kicking a ball and working with his fitness coach.
His general fitness record is good – he has played at least 30 games in each of his last six seasons as a pro – and so the medical should be passed without a problem.
| It’s time for Southampton to stand firm | Buying low and selling high has been Southampton’s philosophy in dealings for some time now, and it’s one that has … 06-06-2017 |
Southampton are ready to go to war with Liverpool as they believe Virgil van Dijk has been “tapped up” about a record breaking move to Anfield.
And Mirrorsport can reveal the extent of the contact Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp has enjoyed with his No 1 defensive target.
The Dutch international was flown to Blackpool for a meeting with Klopp, as Liverpool tried to persuade him his future should be at the club.
And after their unauthorised meeting Klopp then messaged him regularly.
The South Coast club are now digging their heels in and insisting they will not sell the Dutch defender this summer, even for £60m and are preparing to report Liverpool to the Premier League.
Liverpool believe they are in pole position even though it is understood that Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal have all expressed an interest.
There is a belief van Dijk met with all the clubs and it was Liverpool and Arsenal who offered the best package.
But sources suggest the 25-year-old has now indicated he wants to move to Anfield because of Klopp.
That would be a major coup for the Liverpool boss but it has infuriated Southampton who have a long track record of selling players to Liverpool.
Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Sadio Mane and Nathaniel Clyne have all gone to Anfield from St Mary’s.
However, Liverpool’s latest move may end up backfiring as Southampton now insist van Dijk will not be sold and look to be ready to make it a point of principle.
If Southampton can prove that an illegal approach was made then it goes against Premier League rules and could end up in a huge fine and potential ban.
The Premier League rule book clearly states: “A contract player, either by himself or by any person on his behalf, shall not either directly or indirectly make any such approach as is referred to in Rule T.5 without having obtained the prior written consent of his Club.”
The most high profile case in the Premier League era was when Chelsea were hit with a record fine after it was proved they held an illegal meeting with Ashley Cole while he was still an Arsenal player.
Chelsea were given a £300,000 fine and suspended three points deduction.
Southampton confirmed they have asked the Premier League to investigate and Mirror has contacted Liverpool for comment.
A Premier League spokesman said: “Southampton have raised some concerns and we are in turn raising them with Liverpool."
Defender Van Dijk announced that he wants to join the Reds after seeing interest from Chelsea and Manchester City as well as the Merseyside club.
The rumoured transfer fee is said to be £60 million.
But one person who doesn’t want to talk about the Dutchman is Liverpool centre back Dejan Lovren.
The Croatian international was interviewed in Sydney during Liverpool’s post-season Australia trip and didn’t take kindly to a question about the 25-year-old.
Saints have decided to axe the Frenchman after just a year in charge and he is currently negotiating a pay-off on a contract which had two years to run.
But that was just the culmination of a disruptive day for the Saints which began with them accusing Liverpool of tapping up star defender Virgil van Dijk.
Saints have reported the Reds over their pursuit of £60m-rated captain Van Dijk and are furious that his head may have been turned.
They believe Liverpool have made an illegal approach for the 25-year-old and have made a formal complaint to the Premier League.
If found guilty the Merseysiders - who have already signed five Saints players in recent years - could be hit with a hefty fine.
Vice-chairman of football Les Reed headed an emergency meeting yesterday where Saints decided to make their allegations formal before sealing Puel’s fate.
Southampton star Ryan Bertrand has been linked with a move to Manchester City
The French side are holding out for £40m for their defender, who signed a five-year contract last summer.
And that has prompted Pep Guardiola to look elsewhere as he looks to rebuild his defence ahead of the new campaign.
Tottenham’s Kyle Walker looks destined for the Etihad - possibly before the end of this week.
And now Bertrand looks likely to fill the gap on the other side of Guardiola’s defence, with City hopeful they can strike a £20m deal with the Saints for the England international.
Bertrand, 27, joined the Saints permanently in a £10m move from Chelsea in February 2015 so his sale would represent a sound profit for the club.
And it is understood that he has already told friends that he has his heart set on leaving the club.
There was a time when Liverpool made Virgil van Dijk look worth considerably less than the £60million they hope will now prise him from Southampton.
On a December night on the south coast 18 months ago, Jurgen Klopp’s side had him and the Saints defence so stretched that Daniel Sturridge was racing through at will.
Few have forgotten the look on the Dutchman’s face as he trudged off at half-time on the way to a 6-1 League Cup defeat.
It was a rare exception to the rule. Though the central defender will face huge expectations if he returns from an eight-month injury lay-off as Liverpool’s most expensive player, the consensus in football is that the lay-out is worth it. Market inflation makes an ‘ordinary’ centre half worth £30m.
Not every one of the player’s managers has seen his value. Alfons Groenendijk, Van Dijk’s coach at Dutch club Willem II, would not pick him for the first team and allowed him to leave, aged 19, for Groningen — the side who gave Luis Suarez his European start. Not the greatest piece of judgment.
But few have had doubts about the 25-year-old defender since. Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager who signed him four years ago, was so impressed by Van Dijk’s combination of physical presence, touch on the ball and decision-making, that he took him aside after a few training sessions.
‘You enjoy yourself,’ Lennon told him. ‘Because you’re not going to be here long.’
Those who watched Van Dijk at close quarters during his two years in Scotland saw a player operating so far above the rest that his only weakness was occasional complacency.
The former Celtic player and Sportsmail analyst Chris Sutton believes that it was the Premier League’s failure to take the Scottish game seriously which led Manchester City to fork out £47.5m for John Stones when Van Dijk was snapped up by Southampton for £13m.
‘The perception of Scottish football went against him,’ says Sutton. ‘He is a technician. He can weight a pass. He is exceptionally strong and extremely comfortable on the ball.’
Several observers, including Sutton, suggest that Van Dijk is stronger in the air than Stones. For Sutton, he is also more of a threat from set-pieces. What Liverpool have really lacked at the back is pace. Van Dijk ‘is not extremely rapid but he is not slow’, observes Sutton.
Sportsmail’s Martin Keown felt that the defender initially looked a little too laid back at Southampton. ‘He would be slow, slightly ponderous on occasions and didn’t do things with enough urgency,’ says Keown.
That had changed and the Premier League had sharpened him when a challenge by Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy caused him foot ligament damage in January. Recovery from that kind of injury can be tricky and needs patience.
Van Dijk will require every ounce of his Dutch self-confidence to start out well at Liverpool.
The club’s former captain and central defender Phil Thompson feels that Liverpool will bring another level of expectation for him. ‘The fans here want a particular kind of commitment and passion,’ he said. ‘It’s a Liverpool way and brings a pressure you have to be able to take.’
Thompson sees Van Dijk as a more rapid version of Sami Hyypia, who anchored the defence for a decade from 1999.
‘Sami read the game well, was fantastic in the air and on the ground. That kind of central defending has been a trademark of the club for decades. Van Dijk does all that but has a bit more pace.’
If there has been a flaw in the Dutchman for Thompson, it is again the sense that ‘things are too easy’, making him laid back.
His relaxed demeanour has always suggested he is an individual at ease with himself. But the £60m question is whether he has the resolve to provoke conflict and demand a move, which will probably be necessary now. That would certainly be out of character.
Sources say Southampton have ‘never been more apoplectic’ than they now are with Liverpool –— a club who have persistently pursued their players. In the past they have needed the money, but not now.
So the ball is in Van Dijk’s court. We are about to learn much more about him.
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