Saints Have Launched Bid For Virgil Van Dijk

According to various reports in the media Saints have put in an official bid for Celtic's Virgil Van Dijk.

Celtic must be fed up with getting phone calls from Southampton Football Club in the summer, last season we prised Fraser Forster from them and two years ago it was Victor Wanyama heading South of the border.

Now if press reports are to be believed it is Virgil Van Dijk who will be the next Celt to possibly be a Saint and allegedly SFC have lodged an £8 million pound offer for the central defender who was also a target last summer.

The Sun is saying that Koeman believes this to be a fair price rather than a low opening offer, but the reality is that Celtic will probably want nearer £10 million to do business.

It is being stated that Van Dijk cannot play for Saints in the Europa League if he signs as he has already represented Celtic in the Champions League, however Im not sure this is true.

UEFA Rule 41.07 states

41.07 As a rule, a player may not play in a UEFA club competition (i.e. UEFA Champions
League and UEFA Europa League, but not UEFA Super Cup) for more than one
club in the course of the same season. Exceptionally, however, a player who has
been fielded in the first, second, third qualifying round or the play-offs of the
UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League is entitled to play in the UEFA
Champions League or UEFA Europa League for another club as from the group
stage. Moreover, as from the start of the round of 32, a player can be registered in
accordance with Paragraph 43.01 to Paragraph 43.04. A substitute player who has
not been fielded is entitled to play for another club competing in the UEFA
Champions League or UEFA Europa League in the course of the same season,
provided that he is registered with the UEFA administration in accordance with
the present regulations.

This seems to suggest that Van Dijk could play for Saints if he were to sign before Celtic were to play any group stage matches, however if he were to sign tomorrow for instance he would not be able to play against Vitesse or in the play off games should we go though, it would only be the group stages he could be selected for.

This would be a good signing for Saints, the central defensive position is an area for concern at present and although short term the signing of Steven Caulker will help,long term it is not so solid in that Jose Fonte will turn 32 during the coming season and Caulker is only on a years loan, so the arrival of Van Dijk would be a good step in getting that permanency at the back we need.

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