Jamie Carragher is claiming that Virgil Van Dijk's transfer value is dropping, but will this aid the Dutch defenders chances of a move or hinder it.
Liverpool fans are on social media stating that ther club should be putting in a low offer for Virgil Van Dijk in January because in their words "He can't be arsed" meaning that we will now be forced to take a low offer to get shot of him.
Jamie Carragher has had his say on the subject and his views seem to roughly correspond with those of social media on Liverpool twitter feeds etc.
"We are talking about a player who I think Southampton should sell because it hasn’t worked keeping him,” Carragher said.
"The results haven’t been great and Southampton look like they need reinforcements on the pitch."
"So if they bring £50-60m, whatever it may be, back into the club, I think it’s going to help the team because at this moment he’s not. "
"The difference with, say, Liverpool is Philippe Coutinho is playing that well that he’s maybe putting his price up."
"I don’t know if his (Van Dijk’s) is coming down, but he has to get himself right, whether that’s at Southampton between now and the end of the season to keep these clubs interested, or if he’s going to move."
"He’s probably going to play in Champions League football in February, at this moment it’s more Championship football he’s playing than Champions League.”
Funnily enough this corresponds with recent media reports on Merseyside that Liverpool will firstly not be offering the money that was bandied about last summer for Van Dijk and secondly that they would not be intersted unless Saints approached them and offered to sell.
Carraghers comments seem to be in line with the raft of ex Liverpool players in the summer who commented on Van Dijk, most seemed to be spouting a view that was too similar to everyone else's to be co incidence and now this seems to be happening again with Liverpool's favoured media outlets spouting a view which is quickly echoed and expanded by ex Anfield players.
This behaviour back in the summer lead to Liverpool backing off quickly and being forced to not only issue an embarrasing apology, but also being afraid to make an offer for fear of a transfer embargo being placed on them due to their behaviour.
Ultimately although Manchester City's outstanding form means the failure to land Van Dijk probably hasn't cost them any chance of a Premier League title, their defensive frailties could cost them a chance of the Champions League, as was shown at Bournemouth where although they murdered the Cherries going forward, they could easily have conceded a couple, fine when you are aganst lower Premier League clubs, but dangerous when you are playing the cream of Europe.
But from a Liverpool point of view will this aid their attempts to buy Van Dijk or hinder them ?
Certainly their will be Saints fans who will say that Van Dijk is not playing with any sort of commitment, some will also say that is all part of a wider plan to force Saints to sell him in January and that Van Dijk is being encouraged to play badly so that his price will drop and Saints will be forced to cut their losses at a price far less than they could have got back in August.
However if this turned out to be the case and once again Liverpool have attempted to unsettle the player then it could backfire on them as Saints do not have to sell.
With Van Dijk under contract to the club till 2022, Saints still hold all the aces, they have shown they will not be bullied and with Van Dijk under contract till the eve of his 32nd birthday, if Saints do not get the price they want then the question for the player is whether he actually wants to knuckle down and earn a move at the right price or he wants to end his career at St Mary's seeing out his contract.
The reality is though that there will be other clubs come in for him, both Chelsea and Manchester City were linked back in the summer and are now being linked again, they refused to get involved a few months ago because they knew they would only open up an opportunity for Liverpool to make a bid and that they would be left with egg on their face, but the situation has changed now.
But there are now question marks against Van Dijk's attitude, whereas as Jamie Carragher rightly points out Coutinho has got on with playing football, knowing he can't change his situation outside of a transfer window and that good form will ultimately benefit him as it will increase his value and potential earnings, Van Dijk has taken a different route.
The Dutchman has chosen to sulk and try and force a move not by increasing demand in him for his playing prowess, but by trying to force Saints to sell to get shot of him and to do so cheaply.
This is not only a despicable act from a so called professional, but casts doubts as to whether he has the mental attitude needed to cut it at the top level, it might get him a cut price move to Anfield, but it will see the likes of Barcelona etc give him a swerve as they will not see him as having that positive attitude and mental toughness that differenciates a true quality player from an also ran.
Certainly Liverpool have evidence of that in Dejan Lovren, another Saints defender whose behaviour in trying to force a move to Anfield was appalling, ultimately Liverpool paid a big price, not just in transfer fee, but in the fact that Lovren showed that he did not have the balls to cut it in the second tier of the big six, let alone the highest level, perhaps Liverpool might look at that and reflect that anyone willing to give less than 100% for their current club is just as likely to do the same for any future employer, this is a character weakness in the individual, if Van Dijk had pride in himself he would have followed the lead of Phillipe Couthinho and played out of his skin.
So if this is Liverpool or Virgil Van Dijk playing silly games then they are unlikely to find Saints mpressed or willing to play ball, we will sell Van Dijk when it is right for us and that means the price being right as well.
We will not be bullied !