Steven Gerrard backs Liverpool to sign Virgil van Dijk
However, Goater feels Southampton are right to make the defender stay beyond the transfer window.
Van Dijk has submitted a transfer request in order to force through a move away from St Mary’s, with Liverpool his preferred destination.
However, Southampton maintain they will not be selling the star, who only signed a new long-term contract in 2016.
Goater says Van Dijk must accept he will be staying with Mauricio Pellegrino’s side until January’s window at least.
SKY SPORTS
Liverpool transfer news: Virgil van Dijk should play for a bigger club than Southampton, says Goater
His head’s been turned, he’s a quality player, he can and should be playing at a bigger club
Shaun Goater on Liverpool target Virgil van Dijk
“I’m with Southampton as a club because Van Dijk has recently signed a new five-year deal last year,” the former Manchester City striker said on Sky Sports.
“So his head’s been turned, he’s a quality player, he can and should be playing at a bigger club.
“I think that is where his head has been turned but he was happy with the contract a year ago that he signed.
SKY SPORTS
Liverpool transfer news: Southampton have behaved correctly with Virgil van Dijk, says Shaun Goater
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“You’ve seen it with (Philippe) Coutinho, all these players that get a sniff of a bigger club say ‘well I’ll put in a transfer request and I don’t want to be here’ then all the clubs will be ‘well we’ve got to sell them’.
“I think Southampton are in their right to let his simmer down, let him calm down a little bit, train a little bit with the reserves and realise ‘you can be here for another six months, you can be here for another year, but you’re a Southampton player and you’re going to be playing for Southampton’.”
Van Dijk has not played for Southampton since January due to an ankle injury he sustained in a draw with Leicester.
He has made 55 Premier League appearances since joining from Celtic in 2015.
