A switch north looked to be on the cards for the Southampton defender before Liverpool were forced into an embarrassing public apology after being accused of tapping up the Dutchman.
Saints have said they don’t want to sell Van Dijk despite the player being desperate for a move to Anfield.
Chelsea are also keen on the centre-back, but he’s said to have his heart set on a switch to Merseyside.
Former Fleet Street journalist Ian McGarry revealed all on The Transfer Window podcast. He said: “As long ago as March this year, Van Dijk told friends he friends he would definitely join Liverpool in the summer, that a contract for the player had been agreed and all that was left was sorting a fee with Southampton.
“And these things get dragged out to get the highest possible price.
“Van Dijk has seen himself in the red jersey of Liverpool.
“In my experience if they’ve already in their minds moved club, then they would rather go to that club than another.
“It would take an awful lot of money in terms of a contractual offer to assuage Van Dijk away from Liverpool and instead to Chelsea.
Former Celtic star John Collins says Van Dijk shouldn’t have signed a new contract at Southampton if didn’t plan on sticking around long-term.
Van Dijk signed a six-year deal last summer but already wants out.
“Virgil van Dijk, I know Virgil very well,” Collins said on talkSPORT.
“He’s a good boy but I don’t know why he signed this six-year extension last year to be perfectly honest.
“When you sign an extension six months earlier, unless your agent has got a buyout clause put in it and a buying club makes it, then his agent’s not done a good job for him.”
