Virgil Van Dijk: Southampton boss Claude Puel tells Manchester City, Man Utd and Liverpool they can battle for defender… in three years time
Premier League big boys set to be frustrated as Saints manager rules out £50million sale of in-demand skipper
CLAUDE PUEL has told Manchester City they must wait THREE YEARS to sign Virgil van Dijk.
City boss Pep Guardiola is lining up a £50million January bid for Southampton’s Dutch defender, 25.
But Van Dijk only signed a six-year contract in May and boss Puel is confident he can keep him at St Mary’s.
Both Manchester United and Liverpool are also said to be interested in Van Dijk and will try and rival or beat and bid that Man City submit.
The Frenchman said: “The price for Virgil will be the same in two or three years. He can stay two or three years with us.
“Virgil is a captain of the team because he has a good personality, strong character and quality. Of course he will stay with us.”
Puel is targeting a place in Europe again after climbing to seventh with last week’s 3-1 win at Bournemouth.
Saints crashed out of the Europa League at the group stage earlier this month.
But Puel, whose side face Spurs on Wednesday, said: “We would like another season in Europe.
“It is a high level, different to the Premier League and it is important to stay ambitious in the second half of the season.”