UK Edition
Virgil Van Dijk back in Southampton training after transfer window exile
Virgil van Dijk has taken the first steps towards reintegrating himself into full training with the main Southampton squad but is still understood to be several weeks away from match fitness.
The Holland centre-back very publicly declared his desire to leave during the transfer window but, having decided at the start of the summer that no key players would be permitted to leave, Southampton rebuffed interest from a series of clubs, most notably Liverpool.
Van Dijk was deeply unhappy with Southampton’s stance and concerns over his state of mind meant that he became detached from first-team training and missed most of pre-season as well as Southampton's opening four matches of the season.
Southampton’s refusal to sell was always founded on a belief that Van Dijk, who signed a contract only last year until 2022, would have no choice but to accept the situation once the transfer window closed. Van Dijk stressed that he never refused to train and has rejected any suggestion that his behaviour warranted an attempted club disciplinary sanction.
There are clear signs now of an end to the impasse, however, with Van Dijk training this week with manager Mauricio Pellegrino’s first-team group. The other players are understood to have welcomed him back although the international fixtures mean that it is currently a depleted group.
Van Dijk has not played since suffering a serious ankle injury in January and is continuing to follow an individual programme of fitness before he is deemed ready to train as normal with the group.
He may also still need matches with the reserve and Under-23 team before he is seriously considered for first-team selection. Southampton play Watford at home on Saturday and, while Pellegrino would clearly like him back as quickly as possible, there is no particular pressure in the context of Jack Stephens and Maya Yoshida’s solid centre-back partnership and the summer additions of Wesley Hoedt and Jan Bednarek.
Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea remain interested in Van Dijk, who is valued at around £60 million, but Southampton intend to keep him until at least next summer.