Liverpool Football Club have just issued an official statement apologising for the "misunderstanding" over Virgil Van Dijk.
The Anfield club have put out a statement that reads.
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.
The very fact that they have seen fit to do so suggests that they have realised that their behaviour has overstepped the mark and looks like it is now damage limitation for the Merseyside club, certainly had they not done anything underhand either in approaching the player, using the media to unsettle him or a combination of both they would not feel the need to apologise.
Whether they will now not pursue Virgil Van Dijk remains to be seen and the cynical side of me thinks that this is reverse psychology, that they will step back and hope the player himself now forces the move, so they can claim that it is Van Dijk himself who has instigated the situation.