‘Van Dijk won’t be leaving Southampton in January’

Joe Williams
Virgil van Dijk: Misses cup final

Virgil van Dijk is “not for sale” and won’t be leaving Southampton in the January transfer window.

The Dutchman has been linked to Manchester City, Chelsea and Everton in recent weeks after starring for the Saints so far this campaign.

Jose Fonte has handed in a transfer request at the South Coast club and the Southampton hierarchy are unlikely to contemplate losing two of their best defenders in one window.

And the Saints have warned off any potential interest in the 25-year-old as they believe it wouldn’t “make sense” to sell him now.

“Virgil is not for the sale,” said Southampton executive director Les Reed.

“We haven’t had any bids and if we got any bids we wouldn’t consider them because it just doesn’t make sense to think we would release Virgil van Dijk in midseason when we have still got, we believe, all to play for.

“There haven’t been any enquiries but certainly the status of him at the moment is that he is simply not for sale.”