With vital World Cup Qualification games looming for the Netherlands in 3 weeks time, could Virgil Van Dijk be about to make a return to playing.
Whilst the position of both Virgil Van Dijk and Southampton FC remains unchanged at present, the club playing hardball in the last few days could see movement in his current non playing status.
Of course Van Dijk continues to train alone but that is a long way off match fitness even though he has had pre season fitness training prior to his exclusion from the squad.
Dick Advocaat the Dutch International team manager and incidentally also a client of Van Dijk's agent Rob Jansen has been vocal about the player going to Liverpool, but he has two vested interests, apart from the mutual agent, Advocaat needs Van Dijk in a do or die clash with the French in Paris.
Initially he would have hoped that the move to Anfield would have pushed through and the player got in a game or two enabling him to be in line for selection against the French, but Advocaat and Van Dijk are now starting to accept that Southampton are standing firm and no matter how much the player tries to force the move through, Saints will not budge.
Now although this will not soften the attitude for Van Dijk about moving to Anfield, it may well start to bring him to his senses about his alleged mindset which has meant that Saints had to remove him from the squad.
Like wise Saints are not softening but word is that they have stopped playing kid gloves and whereas before they have not tested Van Dijk's resolve they may be about to do so and insist he play for the club.
That will not mean in the first team but possibly in an Academy fixture against Reading next Monday evening.
Van Dijk will have to make a big decision then, if he refuses to play he will be in breach of contract and Saints will be able to take action and also at that point could be likely to report Liverpool for unsettling Van Dijk and encouraging him to refuse to play.
But it is likely that Van Dijk will not refuse but pull on a Saints shirt against the Royals albeit with gritted teeth.
He will have thought that he would have been a Liverpool player by now and it has dragged on enough and even Liverpool would be telling him he needs to stay sharp and that means match fitness.
Dick Advocaat would certainly be an interested spectator, Van Dijk hasnt played competitively since January, some seven months, he will want to see the chances of him making the game in Paris.
This will probably not mean a recall to the first team yet for Van Dijk, but it will be another crossroads in this appalling situation, we will find out whether he has integrity or not.
So next Monday 14th August will be a big date in this saga, it won't be the last one, but it will signall the end of the stand off and the start of the serious business and whether Van Dijk is prepared to sit out at least the first half of the season in the stands or be a model albeit reluctant professional and fulfill the terms of his contract.