Well you don’t see this every day.
Two days after reports said Southampton center back Virgil van Dijk preferred Liverpool as a destination and a day after Liverpool denied it had “tapped up” the Dutch center back, the Reds have issued a formal apology to Saints.
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Here is the statement in full, from LiverpoolFC.com:Liverpool Football Club would like to put on record our regret over recent media speculation regarding Southampton Football Club and player transfers between the two clubs.
We apologise to the owner, board of directors and fans of Southampton for any misunderstanding regarding Virgil van Dijk.
We respect Southampton’s position and can confirm we have ended any interest in the player.
Saints have sold a wealth of players to Liverpool in recent years, including Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, and Nathaniel Clyne, but Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger said the club’s big selling days were over.
Ending their pursuit could be a boon for Manchester City and Chelsea, two sides linked with big money moves for Van Dijk, whose fee has been reported as high as $65 million.