The media are announcing that Southampton have said that Virgil Van Dijk is going nowhere as if it is the first time that they have heard it !

After three months of claiming a deal is close for Virgil Van Dijk the media have finally realised the meaning of the word No, something that Saints have been saying on a regular basis when asked if they would be selling Van Dijk.

Suddenly Liverpool supporters have woken up to the fact that it is going to be Virtual Van Dijk for them, despite the fact that they were claiming that the Dutch defender was going to Anfield just because he had turned left out of Staplewood and gone in a Northerly direction for a while after training.

This prompted a frenzy on Merseyside as late as 2pm this afternoon as an open topped bus was frantically searched for to take him from the airport to Anfield where his statue was due to be unvelied at 5pm.

By 6pm the crowds lining Scotland Road were starting to disperse having realised that the deal was off and crying children wiped their tears with their Van Dijk flags.

When the clock strikes 11pm this evening the reality will hit home and for Saints the real work will begin

Photo: Action Images

skiptonsaint added 21:18 - Aug 31 Best day since 76 ? Up there
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steve73 added 22:39 - Aug 31 I'm shocked, but in a good way. Really felt the club were gonna cave in. Feel a bit ashamed of myself for falling for all the bs but it was pretty relentless. Really will be interesting to see how he behaves now. Might still not end well but I'm happy, an important point's been made.
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almostfrench added 22:41 - Aug 31 Best day since 76? Keeping a player who won't play for us? Don't understand. Thought Saints would be more interested in moving forward? Think he can be re-integrated into the squad?
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zoso added 23:01 - Aug 31 I am so happy we made a stand on this issue. Respect to Ralph Krueger and the board. We may be able to loose the tag we have had as a selling club. COYR
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brownk added 23:09 - Aug 31 I for one have been sick of the arrogance displayed by LFC fans towards SFC. It is time for clubs like Liverpool to show a little respect towards us and hopefully things will now change. It has been their show of entitlement that really is annoying and how we should bow down to them, as they are a so called big club. It is also an important message to players that they cannot treat the club with contemp and not honour commitments they have made. VVD should be stripped of the captaincy and then have to earn a place back in the side like Yoshifa and Stephens have had to do. If he can't then he should rot for a season and we get rid next summer!

4

SaintPaulVW added 23:14 - Aug 31 It's AOK he's stayed but feel a bit nonplussed that we haven't bought another striker. Just like last season, the real problem is getting shots on target not fallible centre backs.
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landerwal added 23:46 - Aug 31 VVD will easily be assimilated back into the squad. You can be sure that he has been in contact with his Saints team mates who being professionals will be unfazed by all the upheavals of the VVD transfer saga during the the last three months. According to insiders e.g. Francis Benali, Van Dijk is very popular in the dressing room so I can see no problems there and he'll return to the team with little fuss. He only has to play a few games at the standard he has played in the last two seasons and all but his most extreme critics amongst Saint's fans will be forgiving him for making this transfer window very interesting!! As far as not playing for us is out of spite, I can't see it. He has to play and play well if he is to maintain a high profile if he still wants to move on in the future which I am sure he still wants to do. At the end of the day he's staying and for all their posturing, Liverpool, their fans and all their ex players who were advising VVD to leave are the the ones left with a hell of a lot of eggs all over their very red faces.

5

SanMarco added 00:25 - Sep 1 Yes this Van Dijk Head stuff has overshadowed the fact we haven't strengthened in areas where we needed. I am in full agreement with all those who say that we needed to do this over VVD. The next chapter will be interesting. He could still go to Spain as their window closes tomorrow.
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mattlegod added 07:57 - Sep 1 Well done to the Saints Board who have done what they said they would. Now will those doubters finally get behind the club and everyone within it? The question isn't how he will integrate in the team, it's how he will be received by the fans when he comes on the pitch - bit of a catch 22, don't want him to feel a hero but don't want to affect his play with people booing him either....??

2

highfield49 added 09:24 - Sep 1 As and when he does get back into the team it would be utterly pointless for supporters to give him a hard time, that can only filter through to the other players and lose matches. Dignified acceptance of his return, without hostility, might even show him that most Saints supporters are intelligent beings. Perhaps even throw in a bit of humour with chants of "the scousers can't afford him"?

1

sambat added 09:29 - Sep 1 Hooray, the saga has ended for now, I am sick of VVD and his childish attitude. Now lets get on with the football!
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SaintBrock added 09:49 - Sep 1 This wasn't about Saints v Liverpool brownk, it was Clubs v Agents as to who will have the power in football going forward. Round 1 to the Clubs and good for them. Saints, Arsenal, Liverpool all stuck to the script. Our best players are not for sale! United we stand! As for the vD saga, it is far from over. Those hoping for his swift return to the side are in dreamland, for starters when was the last time he kicked a ball in anger? He is miles away from being match fit and ready for the bench even if he did relent from his strike action an that is a very big IF!. It is highly unlikely we will not see him in a Saints shirt again and this whole affair will rumble on for the next few months until the January window when the Club may decide e enough is enough and cut their losses and get rid of him. There'll be a few desperate clubs by then and the bids will come in.

1

redwight added 10:16 - Sep 1 Proud of the board and the much maligned Les Reed. Perhaps, instead of endlessly putting out the tired old cliché of Saints being a selling club, the media might refer to us as a club with a first class recruiting policy (as well as an outstanding academy). Think what the scousers would have saved themselves if they had a scouting network worthy of the name.
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redwight added 10:17 - Sep 1 .............but I'm not holding my breath.
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