This is perhaps one of the biggest weeks for Southampton Football Club in recent history in terms of what it will mean to the club going forward, perhaps not just this season but for years to come.
On the face of it this is just another week in pre season and from that point of view yes it is important in terms of preparation for the new season with two friendly games at St Mary's coming up in quick succession, but it is far more important than that.
The ongoing saga of Virgil Van Dijk will come to it's head after nearly three months of the player being "close" to signing for Liverpool according to various ex players of that club.
For the past week or so Van Dijk has been training on his own after reportably telling the club he wants to leave, although not going as far as putting in a transfer request, contary to the more excitable rumours he has not refused to train or play but was removed from the squad by Mauricio Pellegrino who knowing that after ast season his first task was to restore team spirit, did not want negative vibes in the camp.
Of course this action led to more rumours but for the multi dozens of ruour stories the facts remain quite simple.
1. Saints have made it quite clear for the last six months that Van Dijk will not be sold this summer and have reiterated that point several times.
2. The player is has five years left of a six year contract.
3. The player has expressed a wish to go to Liverpool, but has not put in a transfer request, nor has he made any public utterance about the situation.
4. Liverpool have not made a bid.
It could not be more simple !
This week though will bring things to a head, Saints understandably want their best player fit and available for the new season and that being the case they intend to re integrate him back into the squad this week and Van Dijk could play some part in the two pre season friendlies at St Mary's.
By the end of this week we will know whether the player has accepted Saints stance or if he intends to push it to the wire.
It will not help him to remain out of the squad and not playing games, even if the move to Anfield was pushed through late in the window, then Liverpool would want a player who was fit and match sharp to step straight into their side, they would not want to have to wait a few weeks to get him to full fitness.
Also the Dutch International side has two important World Cup qualifyers in the first week in September the first away to France in what would see the Dutch on the verge of elimination should they lose, leaving them six points behind the French in 2nd place, with the French then facing Luxembourg anything less than a win at home to Bulgaria could see them out.
So it is in the interests of the player to get game time under his belt and play his best for Saints whatever happens.
Hopefull by the end of the week Van Dijk will show that he is a model professional, it is easy for some Saints fans to start calling him names and slagging him off, but the fact is he has not publicly demanded to go, he has kept his own counsel and although Liverpool have behaved dreadfully, Van Dijk himself has behaved well and been up front with the club, he is not the first player to want a move, he is not the first player to be turned down and he won't be the first player to stay and put in a decent season under those circumstances.
Older Saints fans will remember that in 1975 Mick Channon put in a transfer request, having given the club a year in the second division he felt that he needed a move back to the first division, he was refused, he stayed put and ultimately got his reward with an FA Cup Winners medal at the end of the following season.
This is a lesson for both the player and the fans, for Van Dijk it shows the grass isn't always greener and for the fans back in 1975 Channon was backed and cheered throughout that season, we knew why he wanted to go, understood that and got behind him all the way, Saints fans need to do that if and when Van Dijk stays, there is no advantage to booing him, we need him playing to his best, if he does then this season could be better than the last, If Mauricio Pellegrino doesn't want negativity in the squad he certainly does not want his job made a lot harder by having it in the stands.
So a big week for Saints in terms of showing everyone, including not only their own fans but the whole footballing World that they are a club in charge of their own destiny, if they do so then the Saints supporters should get solidly behind them.
I haven't even touched on transfers or takeovers, this week could be a lot more important than we thought at the start by the end !