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REACTION: Krueger reiterates Southampton’s Van Dijk stance

By Chris Hughes

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 12: (L-R) Ralph Krueger the Southampton Chairman and Katharina Liebherr the Southampton owner look on during the Barclays Premier League match between Southampton and Cardiff City at St Mary's Stadium on April 12, 2014 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 12: (L-R) Ralph Krueger the Southampton Chairman and Katharina Liebherr the Southampton owner look on during the Barclays Premier League match between Southampton and Cardiff City at St Mary's Stadium on April 12, 2014 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images) /
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Yesterday night further comments from chairman Ralph Krueger reiterated that Southampton would not be selling Virgil van Dijk this transfer window.

Whether or not the Saints would cave to the huge pressure on them to sell team captain Virgil van Dijk or not this summer has been one of the most extensively-covered transfer sagas by the media in what feels like forever.

Not a day goes by without Liverpool fans crying for his freedom or another legend claiming that the Dutchman is exactly what Jurgen Klopp’s rickety defence is lacking. But it all could be in vein.

Despite not featuring at all in pre-season beyond being part of the training camp in Austria, Van Dijk will seemingly not be sold by the Saints. Whether or not he’s reintegrated into the Southampton squad is a different matter entirely.

However the club’s stance regarding the constant sale of players is a good thing, and will hopefully lead to the tides changing on the south coast. Jay Rodriguez is the only notable departure so far, and he would’ve fighting for third-choice striker this season.

"“Virgil is not for sale in this window and it’s not personal. It’s not about him, it’s about an overall much, much, much bigger picture – a change of course for Southampton. “We want to mature, we want to be a team that can profit from synergies that create a much more attractive football and a better product for the fans, and gives us a chance to get back into Europe.” – Ralph Krueger"

BURNLEY, ENGLAND – JANUARY 14: Virgil van Dijk of Southampton controls the ball in the box during the Premier League match between Burnley and Southampton at Turf Moor on January 14, 2017 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
BURNLEY, ENGLAND – JANUARY 14: Virgil van Dijk of Southampton controls the ball in the box during the Premier League match between Burnley and Southampton at Turf Moor on January 14, 2017 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /

Previously Southampton had been a bit of a laughing stock in the Premier League, due to their status as a feeder club to the top teams. Through ever-changing starting line-ups and managers it seems like the board have become as sick and tired as the supporters.

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Krueger reiterating the club’s stance late in the window is only showing that they wont buckle, especially after Van Dijk come out with a public statement expressing his ambition to move on.

The only issue that could come from keeping the 26-year-old against his will is it could result in a toxic atmosphere seeping through to the rest of the squad. Southampton looked positive in their opener against Swansea but you don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes.

There’s a case to be made the club could lose money too as Van Dijk’s stock is potentially at it’s highest. But with Southampton having recently sold an 80 percent stake in their club to the Gao family, that’s probably a redundant argument.

It’s also been reported that the club are backing the potentially massive change to move the transfer window and have it close before the start of the new season.

It would mean that squads registered a day before the league begins would be final, and there would be no splashing of the cash across the final two weeks like we’re used to.