The signing was imminent and looked like a done deal from the last transfer window. However, the formalities did not look that easy as Southampton FC did not sell their star defender Virgil Van Dijk to Liverpool.
On the contrary, the 27-year-old Dutch defender wanted to go to the Merseyside at any cost. After months and months of negotiations and paperwork, Liverpool finally confirmed today the signing of the defender.
While the race was won pretty easily, in the end, the cost to sign van Dijk was not a meagre one. It took 75 million to convince Southampton to let go of their star defender to Jurgen Klopp’s side.
A world record fee for a defender:
It is a world record in terms of money spent on a defender, bettering the insane amount of money that Pep Guardiola spent on Kyle Walker last transfer window. Personal terms and a medical have been completed, and confirmation was made by Liverpool this evening.
There was interest from the defending champions Chelsea and the title favourite Manchester City. However, it was Jurgen Klopp’s side who had the last laugh as they clinched the defender. Van Dijk will now make a move to Merseyside on the 1st of January.
Jurgen Klopp finally gets his man:
Further, the Dutch defender has been handed the No.4 jersey after completing his world-record move away from Southampton FC. Liverpool did not make the offer last season, but things became clear that the defender had his eyes on joining the Reds.
Personal terms on around £180,000-a-week had been accepted and Van Dijk’s preference had always been Liverpool despite profound interest from Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.
This signing is now on the level with the amount that Manchester United paid for the signing of the Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku in the summer window and behind only Paul Pogba’s record signing.
