Liverpool could be getting the Spanish Archer as Barcelona and Real Madrid are said to be ready to elbow them out of the running to sign Virgil Van Dijk.

Liverpool have made many mistakes in their pursuit of Virgil Van Dijk, it is not just their blatant tapping up of Van Dijk (Or more to the point getting caught) it is not just the way they arrogantly briefed the media that he was going to sign and have continued to do so, nor was it the fact that they forced Saints into a corner that they cannot back out, but it is the fact that they haven't done this deal quietly that could ultimately cost them dearly.

They have not attempted to sign Van Dijk in the style of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley quietly and under the radar until pen is put to paper, but they have done it in the style of current manager Jurgen Klopp, brash loud and always having to have something to say on the deal, even when the actual transfer window is months away.

Now I like Jurgen Klopp, I like him as a manager and I like him as a personality, he brings a breath of fresh air to the game, but when it comes to signing players you have to have a silent approach.

All of this could not cost Liverpool dearly, Van Dijk would make them into genuine title contenders, but they have pushed Saints into a corner.

If they had come to us quietly then perhaps a deal could have been done, it would not have been at the £50 million that Liverpool want to pay and it could be argued have tried to manipulate a situation where Saints decide to take this figure because they have a player who is demanding to go, but it may well have been at £60 million.

But Liverpool actions are such that now Saints have upped the price , but more to the point it has let others into the game.

Chelsea and Manchester City have always been hovering and now Arsenal are in the race, but perhaps the most worrying news for Liverpool is that Real Madrid and Barcelona are said to now be interested.

From a Saints perspective this is good, if the relationship between club and Van Dijk is irrepairable then the Spanish giants will not only pay top dollar but it would be acceptable to Saints fans for Van Dijk to go there, if he has to go that is, the stark truth is and Saints know this, if they sell him to Liverpool after all this they will lose a large section of the Saints support who will see them as hypocrites.

From a Liverpool perspective this is a disaster, they can make a good case why Van Dijk should choose them over Chelsea or Manchester City and to be honest Arsenal not being in the Champions League are non runners, but Real Madrid and Barcelona are a different kettle of fish.

The problem they now have is actually making a bid, so far Liverpool have not done so and if they did then they would be virtually admitting that they have been tapping up Van Dijk, the strategy they have used over the last month is to get the player to drive this forward so they can claim that they had nothing to do with it, but hey if he wants to come to Anfield then that is his wish who are they to deny it.

If Van Dijk does not go to Anfield Liverpool will only have themselves to blame for the way they have behaved, Saints have not done a thing wrong, how can they have ? it is not unreasonable to say that you want to keep a player especially when you have not had a bid for him.

The Saints board will feel a sigh of relief, undoubtably the press coverage about Van Dijk being removed from training has alerted the Spanish duo and this now gives Saints a strong position to negotiate and it has certainly pushed up the fee a little more.

This saga has a long way to run yet and it will leave a sour taste in the mouth when it is over, however as a club we have been in this position from both sides of the fence in that we have lost players and we have told others that they have to stay, we are not afraid of change but we will do so when it is in our best interests to do so.

Photo: Action Images

ericofarabia added 10:03 - Jul 25 The longer it goes on the harder it will be to find a replacement and of course stupid fees will be quoted in the knowledge that we've just got a wedge for Van Dick if he goes. I do not share your liking for the loathesome dispicable gurning clown though. His antics make me sick and I will forever cherish Koeman and Sammy Lee taking the p!ss on the touchline when we beat them at SMS.

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steve73 added 11:08 - Jul 25 This article almost conveys a sense of sympathy towards how things have turned out for Liverpool. It may just be balanced and I'm too annoyed to see it that way. Whether it's rational or not I detest them. And I can't stand that buffoon of a manager either. Hope it all blows up in their smug faces.
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SanMarco added 11:16 - Jul 25 Good point ericofarabia - all very well selling him to one of the real big boys for a premium price but not if it is on the evening of 31 August with no replacement in sight. I would be delighted to see VVD go to Real Madrid because I don't like them and I certainly don't want him to go to a team that I cheer for. The fact that I hope this headline is true says it all for how I feel about VVD. I will say for the twentieth time though ONLY IF HE PUTS IN A FORMAL REQUEST...

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Keesie66 added 11:41 - Jul 25 Why is everyone so surprised with these huge fees now being offered,it's Sky money received and being invested, prices have gone up because the game is financially evolving... for some reason Saints always refuse to comply with the result a mid table team going forward and a ? As to where the extra money is going ? £16 million is our top player ... silence as usual from the board... we must be the most boring team to follow every year in the transfer market (and likely going there on the pitch too) SIGH....

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Jesus_02 added 12:14 - Jul 25 Without sounding weird, selling to Barca would represent progress to me. We are always going to struggle to make the European places if we sell our best players to those occupying the European places. We sold Bale to Spurs who made a bundle selling him on to Real. If we can bypass these clubs then we can start to compete with them. VVD is a great player but is clearly destined for bigger things. The best outcome in my view would be a sale to Madrid or Barca.

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bstokesaint added 12:45 - Jul 25 Keesie, whilst it's exciting to hear about big money signings I tend to think of Osvaldo, Ramirez and Boufal and I question whether us and "big money signings" are a good thing. Then I look at our more modest spends on Mane, VVD, Wanyama, Romeu, Cedric, Bertrand, etc, and it makes me appreciate we don't have to spend huge to bring in quality. That said I would like to see at least two new arrivals. One very good defender and one playmaker would do it for me. On the subject of Van D1ck, if the alternative from leaving out in the wilderness is to sell him to a Spanish giant I could forgive the club for that. We'll have made a stand against Liverpool and I'm sure the cash-in will be huge. Plus we won't have to see his lying face week in, week out on MOTD. So on that basis just go already.

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landerwal added 12:52 - Jul 25 If we can get a realistic price for VVD by him going to Spain, let him go. We would then not have to watch him putting in great performances for another Premiership team or far worse Liverpool, on Sky, Match of the Day or at St Marys,but even better it would be a real poke in the eye with a sharp stick to our reserve team on Merseyside.
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sambat added 12:54 - Jul 25 Every day, at least once I check the Newsnow site, I don't know why because every day I get a little more depressed. As a Saints fan all I see is the "bigger" clubs showing more interest in our players. VVD, Soares, Bertrand, Clasie, and Tadic. All of these players seem to be close to moving away one week or another. Surely this must unsettle the team, as it has done so many times in the past. Some of these moves are just annoying speculation by the press who just make transfers up because they have no real news. Saints also seem to be linked with players coming in, however as the weeks go by they sign for other clubs. VVD needs to hand in his transfer request and move on. The Manager's term when describing him is "the boy", and that is exactly what he is, and we seem to have had a few of those in the past. I for one would be glad to see VVD go abroad, so I don't have to see his sulky face in the press anymore. So "boy" if you want to go you know what you need to do. Let's build this team on enthusiastic young players, bring through more youngsters. We may drop in the league for a season or two, but at least we would have players on the pitch that want to play for us.

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pintsizedsaint added 13:01 - Jul 25 Selling VVD to a club outside of EPL is perhaps the most ideal position IF it is clear that VVD will not pick up his toys. I doubt it will be in the 60-70 million mark though, as those prices are based on the inflated EPL bubble we sit in. I am seeing some reports suggesting that Liverpool are resigning themselves to defeat here, although that might now curse the situation! Hopefully SFC have told Liverpool that they have now gone beyond the moment where a sale to them would happen (clearly that moment has more than passed in fans eyes). Hence all the reports that suggest Chelsea and others are now swooping in.

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BoondockSaint added 13:07 - Jul 25 If Real or Barca make an offer the Saints better grab it. I don't care if it's less than the numbers being bandied about. Getting him out of the league and not strengthening one of our competitors will help us in the standings and result in more TV money.
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TeamCortese added 13:20 - Jul 25 I personally agree with most of the comments about him moving abroad. This would suit us and hopefully send a message to the EPL that we'll lose quality players in our league if this top 4/top 6 bullying monopoly continues. As for VVD I would normally wish a player good fortune but considering how he's conducted himself I have little to any inkling to offer good will.

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sambat added 13:26 - Jul 25 Keep in mind, when VVD was injured our defence stepped up and did a pretty good job. You have to feel sorry for Yoshida, who week in week out did his very best for the team. Some people knocked him but he put in the effort, which is what we want in the team. It wasn't the defence that led to tired any uninteresting games, it was our strikers. If we scored 2 more goals each game, which was easily achievable, supporters would be praising the team, and VVD would not be the high profile he is now. I like Yoshi, he tries for the team, he puts in real effort, AND he is the lowest paid player on the pitch. VVD please hand in your transfer request, and let's here a cheer for those who put in the effort at the club.

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Keesie66 added 13:42 - Jul 25 bstokesaint ..... I appreciate your comment but question still remains where is the extra money the club is receiving??? Realistically if we want to improve on last season we need a goalscoring midfielder @ £25 million plus a CB better than VVD £20 million.... do you see Saints buying/spending that kind of money.... NO .... then there is your problem ... the squad will not have been improved compared to last season and hoping MP alone will make up for this is wishful thinking....... we need to 1. score more & 2. concede less .... than last season......

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SaintBrock added 14:22 - Jul 25 Leave it alone Nick or you'll go blind!
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patred added 14:33 - Jul 25 I am starting to believe VvD and his agent have played a blinder. Knowing our reluctance to sell to LFC they could have used the bin-dippers as stalking horses to smoke out the big clubs interest.
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BaselSaint added 15:20 - Jul 25 I dont see Klopp as a breath of freah air at all, I see him as a big bag of schmalz and the sight of him and hearing the endless bullsh*t from those trophyless gobshites makes me want to vomit. I would love it if VVD goes to a big Spanish club. Que bueno!
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kenis added 07:25 - Jul 26 £45-£50m plus sakho and subsidise his wages so doesn't break the structure. Why is that so hard?
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Braveheart added 13:58 - Jul 27 Either way the traitorous little shit gets his way. He should be stripped of the club captaincy, ade to repay the total cost of his rehabilitation. Stopped being paid from the time he refuses to pay. Never be allowed to put on a Saints shirt again
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Big_T added 18:17 - Jul 28 I do not like Klopp and I didn't like him before he came to this country. Klopp received a fine of €10,000 on 17 March 2014 after getting ejected from a Bundesliga match against Borussia Mönchengladbach.The ejection was a result of "verbal attack" on the referee, Deniz Aytekin, who was the referee, stated that Klopp's behavior was "rude on more than one occasion". His antics on the touchline are bordering on insulting to opposition staff, I'm happy to see him at liverpoo as he suits their lack of style and class.

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