Maddock:
Liverpool have won the heavyweight fight with
Manchester City and
Chelsea for
Virgil van Dijk .
The Reds will make Van Dijk the most expensive defender in football history, after the Holland international confirmed he has chosen them ahead of the two Premier League giants.
All three clubs have been talking with the Southampton star for the past few weeks, as they attempted to sell their vision of the future to the centre half.
But it was the charisma and enthusiasm of boss Jurgen Klopp that persuaded Van Dijk to choose the Anfield project, with people close to the player suggesting he was impressed by the passion the German coach displayed.
The Reds have declined to comment on any speculation surrounding the player, but we can reveal after Van Dijk made his decision, officials from the Merseyside club are now in talks with Southampton over the fee.
And we understand that Liverpool - who have so far yet to make an official offer to Saints - will have to match the £60m that Manchester City were prepared to pay for the 25 year old.
Talks are ongoing, but Liverpool WILL be prepared to match City's offer, and then thrash out a contract that could be worth £200,000 a week to Van Dijk.
The previous world record fee for a defender was the £50m Chelsea paid to bring David Luiz back to Stamford Bridge last summer, but if Liverpool do reach City's offer, then it will smash that figure.
Van Dijk has spent two past two months deliberating his future, after being informed that the three Premier League big guns were in a fight to sign him, with Arsenal also interested.
He has spoken to all three clubs, but even though Liverpool were considered as outsiders for his signature, they won the race because of the vision Klopp sold to the defender.
The German made clear Van Dijk would be the kingpin of his team, and he painted the same picture he offered to Philippe Coutinho - that the player could become an Anfield legend, with the chance to have statues built in his honour. [Calm down mate!!!]
Klopp pointedly suggested that at Chelsea or City, the Dutchman would be just another player fighting for a place, but at Liverpool he could become the ground-rock of the club's push back to the summit of the game.
We understand talks with Southampton will continue this week, and Liverpool hope to thrash out a deal that will secure Van Dijk's signature in the coming days.
But the defender has made clear to Saints that Anfield is his preferred destination and he won't countenance a move elsewhere, which means a deal WILL be completed.
Liverpool’s summer spending won’t stop there. They have already made a £27m offer for Roma’s Mohamed Salah, and after sealing the deal for Van Dijk, are likely to return in an attempt to thrash out a £35m agreement.
And they have also not given up hope on a spectacular £50m capture of Naby Keita, even though his club Red Bull Leizig insisted yesterday they will resist any offers for the Guinea international midfielder this summer.
