Virgil Van Dijk has now officially demanded to leave Southampton Football Club, although this does not mean he will neccessarily be sold.

The statement from Van Dijk reads.

“It is with regret that I can confirm that I have today handed in a transfer request to leave Southampton football club.

“Unfortunately I feel I have no alternative after I was given notice of the club’s intention to impose a disciplinary sanction against me of a fine equivalent to 2 weeks wages.

“I will be appealing what I feel to be an unjustified sanction and their inability to follow the correct disciplinary protocol in due course.

“Over the past six months I have held numerous discussions with representatives of the board, the former manager Claude Puel as well as the new manager Mauricio Pellegrino to inform them all of my desire to leave the club in search of a new challenge.

“I am incredibly ambitious and want to achieve as much as I possibly can to fulfil my potential in what is a very short career as a professional footballer. I want to play European football again and challenge for major honours and as such I would like Southampton to consider the interest in me from top clubs should it still exist.

“I have been left frustrated by the club’s position that I am not for sale and am disappointed that enquiries from multiple top clubs have been consistently rebuffed.”

“The period of time that I have just spent injured and unable to play has put a number of things into perspective and made me realise just how important it is to take major opportunities should they arise.

“I have consistently relayed my feelings to senior management at Southampton in what I believed to be private and personal conversations. Disappointingly, these conversations have regularly found their way into the media.

“I would also like to make clear that I have never once refused to train. I can confirm that I was asked about my frame of mind and for all of the reasons mentioned above I was open and honest in saying that I did not feel I was in a settled mindset given the circumstances.

“Following this conversation the manager explained that he only wanted players who he felt were 100% committed to Southampton and told me I would therefore have to train away from the first team.

“As a proud professional I am insulted by the suggestion that it was me who refused to train and so feel it is important to point out the true version of events.

“I had very much hoped to retain the good relationship I’ve always enjoyed with everyone at the club, especially the fans, but unfortunately in light of everything that’s happened this has now been seriously affected.

“I would like to make clear that I have nothing but gratitude to everyone at Southampton for giving me the opportunity to play in the Premier League.

“However, the time for me to move on is now and I hope to be able to work with the club to find the best resolution to suit all parties.”

I would not think many Saints supporters feel much sympathy for Van Dijk, yes he is upset that the club is imposing disciplinary proceedings against him, but then again all Saints supporters are upset that he was not in a settled mindset to train, he should be a professional and let us be blunt he is not the first player in the history of the game who has been denied a move when under contract to a club, the difference is most go about things the right way and continue to fufill the terms of that contract by training and playing, to be blunt Van Dijk hasn't suffered a personal tragedy such as a death in the family, he has merely been told that he cant get his own way all of the time.

He says he is insulted by the suggestion that he has refused to train, I personally as a Southampton supporter am insulted by the fact that a player who earns more in a week than most of our supporters earn in two years is not playing in our first team and is not fufilling the terms of his contract. I am insulted that he has gone behind the back of the club who have been paying him well for the last six months whilst he has been unable to play and spoken to another club illegally.

Whatever way you want to dress it up he has admitted himself he is not in the right frame of mind and that is why he is not in the squad.

Saints have now taken off the kid gloves, they have clearly had enough of the behaviour of a player who was once considered a model professional and have taken disciplinary measures, clearly this has pushed the issue to breaking point and it now looks that there is no return for the player although ironically Louis Suarez had a similar psoition a few years ago and stayed and played another year before going to Barcelona.

Saints are showing that they are in no mood to sell and Van Dijk has finally realised that and doesn't like it one bit, he feels that he can break a contract as and when he wants.

The irony is if he and allegedly Liverpool had gone about things the right way then the move would probably have happened, but it seems both of them wanted to get things done slyly and on the cheap.

It is a sad day for Southampton Football Club and a sad day for football when players try to have it both ways, Saints have been fair with Van Dijk and honest with him he has not done the same, when he complains that conversations between club and player have found their way into the media, perhaps he should consider how the media interest started with Liverpool bragging that they were close to a deal.

Saints have not commented on what Van Dijk has or has not said in the media nor have they leaked it, all along they have said that it was the managers choice for him not to be in the squad, all along they said that they hoped he would rejoin the squad, they handed him olive branches and at no time did they comment on what he had said to them privately.

A year ago he was happy at Southampton FC, then in December last year he changed agents to Rob Jansen, the man who lured Ronald Koeman to Everton, read into that what you like, this site predicted the outcome in an article back then, now it is coming true.

Photo: Action Images

Consigliere added 19:28 - Aug 7 It is transparently obvious that apart from his paw-print at the foot of the page, every single word of that statement was written for him by his lawyers and other professional advisers with a view to putting the best possible gloss on his case in future negotiations and/or dispute resolution procedures. We are now into the territory of deal-making, and football issues have very little to do with it. It goes without saying that his claims for injured feelings and regret are nothing more than cant and sophistry, designed to illicit sympathy and to leverage a better settlement, and no-one with the slightest bit of experience in these matters will be moved by them other than to recognise them for what they are, a position statement to negotiate from.

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RogerToye added 19:33 - Aug 7 laughable!! dutch really know how to cover themselves in Glory Rob jansen, Ronald Koeman and now VVD not doing your country proud about contracts and standing truthfully by your words.
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corkcitysaint added 19:35 - Aug 7 Looks like it might all be coming to a head now. Van D*ck trying to make out he is the victim in all of this. Hah! my heart weeps. Have to applaud the club for standing firm. VVD is quickly becoming one of our most hated players of all time now. He's showing so much disrespect to all connected to SFC. All that is wrong with football these days sadly. I hope the club screw him! C'mon Saints!

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the_saint added 19:37 - Aug 7 I wonder if fellow readers or vvd can help me with my predicament. I was suppose to fit a kitchen two weeks ago but didn't fancy it so didn't bother,the problem is they still haven't paid me for the work that I did not do. I find this so annoying and wondered if Virgil can contact me and give me some advice.
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DPeps added 19:38 - Aug 7 Clearly we don't know exactly what's gone on behind the scenes but the bottom line is: if you want transfer you should have to put in a transfer request. It's not unreasonable for the club to require that! As much as I respect him as a footballer, VVD has really acted poorly in this whole mess
6

SaintPaulVW added 19:44 - Aug 7 Will the board stick to their word. Will the bids appear. Who knows!
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BoondockSaint added 19:48 - Aug 7 It's "..with regret..." alright! He now has to pay up to get out! Anywhere But The Scouse!
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pintsizedsaint added 19:50 - Aug 7 What we have learnt from this news is: - Confirmation that several clubs have enquired at some point but SFC have been clear he's not for sale; - It's likely SFC told VVD the same they told Morgan and Wanyama regarding wanting a further season or two - confirmation from the player himself that he was approached by Liverpool around 6 months ago - most likely after being told he's not for sale; - That this tapping up occurred whilst VVD was injured and the premise of "this injury shows you how fragile your career is" was used; - That therefore VVD is thinking solely about higher wages whilst he's still fit. - That he's probably be happy to go to another club if it means higher wages. SFC would have foreseen this. Unless they take a huge gamble (and u-turn) and allow Liverpool to bid, then nothing changes on that angle. It's too much of a negative PR story for them now to sell to Liverpool. Yes I'm sure that the prospect of Liverpool offering silly money might feel like a victory but it will mean nothing to the fans and it's unlikely they will be able to spend the money in the short time left (other than what they are already planning for). Plus SFC don't need the money as desperately as say 3 seasons ago. Chelsea are an option - but that would actually mean VVD wins a bigger prize: he would go to a bigger club who actually can compete in Europe and silverware (at least more readily than Liverpool). Ideally reject the transfer offer and see the matter get drawn out via a legal route. Then let VVD go - preferably in Jan to a European club. One things for sure - he's not playing for SFC again. Finally, I know the media harp on about it being pointless and naive to not cash in on the asset. They do not see the bigger picture. I suspect a number of agents are now thinking twice about peddling their players to SFC purely on the off chance it gets them a shop window and a further transfer in 12 months. It should mean players who join SFC do so without that intention - or with the clear expectation that they will play a minimum of 2-3 seasons with Saints. I'm not saying that players will suddenly become Angels, but they will come with their expectations very clearly managed. I'm still with SFC on this one.

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aceofthebase added 19:50 - Aug 7 Even with a transfer request Saints don't have to sell, and certainly not to Liverpool and if sold it must be saints that set the price.
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WanderingSaint added 19:56 - Aug 7 The statement is a complete joke. There are two steps which initiate the transfer protocol, a) a transfer request, and b) an offer. Neither of these had taken place. All that's happening now is what should have months ago. Consilgliere - " nothing more than cant and sophistry..." I like this poster.
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WestSussexSaint added 19:59 - Aug 7 PintSized - you pretty much posted what I was typing at the time! Just to add though, Saints would not be the first club to publically state their player is not for sale (I believe Liverpool have said the same recently about Coutinhio) and without any actual bids (only enquiries) I think VVDs statement is paper thin in terms of justification for his behaviour. I would like to think that if Liverpool do now bid, which I expect, that Saints go straight to the FA/Prem League and restore their complaint. They should also raise a complain against the agent - he appears to have form in this area!

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highfield49 added 20:04 - Aug 7 Oh dear, how sad. What a muppet.
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mattlegod added 20:04 - Aug 7 Your article is well written and makes the point many of us feel. Weird how a year ago he wanted another 6 years of Saints and only 6 months later while being paid handsomely while undergoing medical rehabilitation at the cost of the Saints he decides he has had enough. It doesn't matter what way you are your legal adviser spins it VvD, you are a greedy, selfish man who is looking for sympathy in the wrong place. Thanks for single handedly f#@cking up out pre season.

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pintsizedsaint added 20:11 - Aug 7 Oh and let's be clear who the real ars£hat is in this sorry affair - the Wasserman Agency. VVD joins them in Dec and a few months later he's conducting shady meetings in dodgy Blackpool. Rubbish
3

froggysaint added 20:19 - Aug 7 I wonder if the Royal Ballet would like to put in a bid. VVD has proved to be a total Primadonna, so he should fit in well at Covent Garden. The whole boo-hoo story that he feels driven to put in a transfer request (which is what he should have done in the first place if his intentions were honorable rather than money grubbing) leaves me entirely unmoved. Shame on you Virgil.

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ChristchurchSaint added 20:20 - Aug 7 Good summary Nick. Too p****d off with the whole issue to say much more.😡
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pintsizedsaint added 20:29 - Aug 7 An interesting insight into the man who wrote VVD's statement. Clearly shows we Frank deBoer was perhaps not first on the SFC wish list... Yet this article goes to show that it is simply about the money. RJ wouldn't blink twice if China club came in for a player and it's interesting how he makes it clear that he made the decisions in Heitinga's move to Ajax... goes to show VVD probably doesn't have much input... ...let's hope we don't get linked to Daley Blind anytime soon then! https://sports.vice.com/en_uk/article/z4ayq5/we-spoke-to-veteran-football-agent-

3

IanRC added 20:34 - Aug 7 So what was he docked wages for ?
0

welhamdowed added 20:44 - Aug 7 I can't blame him for wanting to leave, the statement is clearly not from him and think he'll regret it once the saga has come to an end. So the transfer everyone predicted is now underway, I just hope not to Liverpool.
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SanMarco added 20:59 - Aug 7 This is good news. Saints need to not blink and calmly tell him he can go at the right price. The arrogance of his statement is unbelievable. If he wanted to play for Liverpool he should have gone straight there from Celtic. He stopped off with us for an extra payday and it has all gone wrong because Les has grown a pair. Saints are coming out of this very well - but it will all be for nothing if he goes to Liverpool for less than 80m. In the short-term we are now 2 quality centre-backs short.

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oldeastterrace added 21:05 - Aug 7 What a spoiled child! he is an arse of the highest order. As for his agent....its SCUM like him that is killing football. I'd like to kick him right in the knackers!!!
4

Markl2057 added 21:34 - Aug 7 A despicable creature, I'm trying to explain all this to my 10 year old son who had his name and number printed on his shirt last season. We try to teach our kids about morals and loyalty..... what do I tell him??? That the captain of our club is a big baby who changes his mind whilst playing his PlayStation since January touting himself to the highest bidder!!! Then writes a pathetic statement trying to take the higher ground, Mr reed has always been the villain in running a pantomime every transfer window (self inflicted) lets hope he takes the opportunity to use this to raise his profile amongst saints fans and stand up to this pathetic individual and not sell him !!! And lets see what rock vvd hides behind

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ChristchurchSaint added 21:50 - Aug 7 Thanks pintsized, very good article about the snake. We all make jokes about MPs, estate agents and second hand car salesmen (😆😆😆), but football agents are definitely way way down from that!
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mapleridgesaint added 22:07 - Aug 7 Can anyone find and post a photo of his agent ? I think the fans should have the chance to tell him ( politely ! ) exactly what they think of him and his client in the unlikely event he is ever seen in or around St Mary's or Soton .
2

bstokesaint added 23:34 - Aug 7 What an absolute disgrace you are Virgil. As with Lallana before you've taken the priveleged captain's position and sh@t on the club that helped make you the player you are today. I felt so sorry for you when the Leicester thug took you out and wished you a speedy recovery, not just because you are an exceptional player, but because you lifted our fans and actually seemed a decent and grounded bloke. But alas no. You're just a selfish, money-grabbing scumbag with zero respect for anyone for anyone associated with our club. None of us expected you to be here forever, but even "little" clubs like us deserve some good faith in return for accepting a lucrative and improved contract. You milked that for all its worth before underhandedly trying to negotiate yourself out of the club in the snidest way possible, again by screwing over the club you captain. You didn't even have the balls to do things properly. You are a disgrace. Not just to our club, but to the game as a whole. I always dreamed of my kids one day being pro footballers, but with the likes of yourself and other money grabbers b*******, I'd actually be embarrassed if they did. The game is changing and for the worse. The obscene greed is sickening. I hope the club auction you out to the highest bidder like a prize piece of meat at a farmer's market and we can wash our hands of you once and for all. Good riddance and thanks for nothing.

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