Liverpool to avoid punishment over VVD transfer saga
By Luke Dennis
Liverpool are likely to miss out on any punishment from the Premier League for the supposed ‘tapping up’ of Saints centre-back Virgil van Dijk.
After stories emerged at the start of June that the Dutch international was desperate to join Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side, Southampton decided to report the Merseyside club for failing to make an ‘official’ approach for the player.
The Saints argued that the newspaper reports on a potential transfer between van Dijk and Liverpool could only have been run if the Anfield club had spoken to the player – breaking Premier League rules for “tapping up.”
Liverpool had massively overstepped the mark and were forced to make a public apology to Southampton, letting the situation cool down temporarily.
The Premier League listened to the Saints’ complaints, but did not formally investigate Liverpool’s approaches, despite Southampton having the evidence to show their wrongdoings.
It was seemingly likely that Liverpool would bid over 50 million pounds for the defender, but Southampton’s resilience seems to have shocked Jurgen Klopp out of a deal.
It is now not seen as a huge issue and the two clubs are believed to have resolved their problems surrounding the saga.
Van Dijk will continue to be linked to Liverpool over the transfer window, as well as Chelsea and Manchester City, but one of the main jobs for new boss Mauricio Pellegrino is keeping hold of the Dutchman on the south coast.