Liverpool transfer news: Virgil van Dijk moves closer to £60million Anfield move than Manchester City or Chelsea swap, believes Jurgen Klopp
Reds manager has convinced club owners to approve club-record deal of almost £200,000 a week for Dutchman
JURGEN KLOPP is convinced he will beat Manchester City and Chelsea in the race for £60million Southampton star Virgil van Dijk.
Klopp has persuaded Liverpool’s American owners to make Van Dijk the highest-paid player in their history on a deal nearing £200,000 a week.
The fee will see the Dutch centre-half, who cost Saints £11.5million from Celtic, become the world’s most expensive defender.
Van Dijk, 25, signed a six-year contract with Saints last summer but now wants a bigger challenge — and his club are resigned to cashing-in on their star man.
Both Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and City’s Pep Guardiola had identified Van Dijk as a key signing this summer.
But they have been left upstaged by Liverpool, who initially offered the player £130,000 a week plus £50k in possible add-ons.
That was rejected by Van Dijk’s representatives, leaving City believing their promise of £200k a week had won the day.
But the Reds have now increased their offer to a basic £180k a week — a cool £30k more than current top-earner Philippe Coutinho.
Van Dijk is keen to join Dutch pal Georginio Wijnaldum at Anfield — and become the SIXTH former Southampton player to sign for Liverpool in the last three years.