Virgil van Dijk ‘tells Southampton’ he wants to join Liverpool this summer

VIRGIL VAN DIJK is pushing Southampton to finally let him seal his dream move to Liverpool, according to reports.

Van Dijk had been all set to make a £60million move to Anfield earlier in the summer after Jurgen Klopp made him his number one defensive target.

But the move collapsed in controversial circumstances after Southampton lodged a complaint to the Premier League about alleged tapping up of the player.

Liverpool were forced into an embarrassing climb-down as they issued a public apology to Saints and vowed to end their interest in the defender.

That left Van Dijk stuck in a the wilderness, having been forced to accept he was staying at Southampton when he clearly thought he was moving to Merseyside.

The 26-year-old has reported back for pre-season training with his club and knuckled down to his work with new manager Mauricio Pellegrino.

Liverpool boss Klopp has maintained his interest in the hope his bosses could re-open lines of negotiation with the Saints board.

But the Reds owners told him earlier this month he should forget about trying to revive the deal, fearful of upsetting Southampton further.

Yet now reports are emerging from the south coast that Van Dijk may take matters into his own hands in an effort to engineer the transfer.

The Dutch international is hugely tempted by the chance to move to one of the Premier League's biggest clubs - and the opportunity to play Champions League football.

And he is said to have told his bosses at St Mary's that he wants them to re-open talks with Liverpool about finally agreeing to a move.

Saints boss Pellegrino would be a reluctant seller, knowing it would be hard to replace a player of Van Dijk's quality.

But if they could squeeze extra money out of the Liverpool and agree a fee closer to £70m, it would be hard for the club to reject a deal.

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