Liverpool in pole position to sign Manchester City and Chelsea target

 

Virgil van Dijk wants to play for Jurgen Klopp at Anfield and now Liverpool only need to agree a world record fee for a defender with Southampton to complete a staggering deal, reports BBC Sport.

 

The Southampton defender has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City this summer after establishing himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League since his arrival from Celtic in 2015.

 

Liverpool weren’t expected to be able to compete with their rivals after it emerged Southampton wanted more than £50m but it comes as a major statement of intent from owners Fenway Sports Group that they are willing to back Klopp in such a bold move.

 

While Van Dijk has made it known he would like to work for Klopp, Liverpool still have a long way to go before completing a deal and will need to pay a world record fee for a defender in order to convince Southampton to part ways with a player that still has five years remaining on his existing deal.

 

 

The Netherlands international would be the sixth Southampton player Liverpool have signed in the last three years and mean they have given Claude Puel’s side more than £150m in that time.

 

Of the 165 players to contest more than 100 aerial duels in the Premier League since August 2015, Van Dijk has the best aerial success rate (74.4%).

 

For more stats on Virgil van Dijk, click here to visit his WhoScored player page