Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk hands in written transfer request

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The news we have all been waiting for: Virgil van Dijk has submitted a formal transfer request to Southampton.

Despite suggestions in recent days that van Dijk would not submit a written transfer request due to the personal financial cost he would incur, the Dutchman has formally told his club of his desire to leave.

Van Dijk’s transfer request comes with an implicating statement with the Dutchman clearly upset about a lot of the recent speculation about his future.

The statement reads: “It is with regret that I can confirm that I have today handed in a transfer request to leave Southampton Football Club.

“Unfortunately I feel that I have no alternative after I was given notice of the club’s intention to impose a disciplinary sanction on me of a fine equivalent to two weeks’ wages.

“I will be appealing what I feel to be an unjustified sanction and their inability to follow the correct disciplinary protocol in due course.”

“Over the past six months, I have held numerous discussions with representatives of the board, the former manager Claude Puel as well as the new manager Mauricio Pellegrino, to inform them all of my desire to leave the club in search of a new challenge.

“I am incredibly ambitious and want to achieve as much as I possibly can, to fulfil my potential in what is a very short career as a professional footballer.

“I want to play European football again, and challenge for major honours, and as such, I would like Southampton to consider the interest in me from top clubs should it still exist.”

The Southampton Daily Echo reports that despite van Dijk’s decision to hand in a written transfer request, their stance has not changed and he is still not for sale.

This is an issue for Liverpool who are waiting for Saints to give them the green light to proceed with a move for van Dijk after what happened back in June.

After being reported to the Premier League for “tapping up”, Liverpool need to tread lightly and ensuring that they don’t anger Southampton is the best way to proceed.

However, it’s difficult for me to see how van Dijk will remain a Saints player given all that’s happened.

It’s possible he’ll leave the club but not to Liverpool with Chelsea interested in signing him.