L\u0456ver\u0440ool extended V\u0456rg\u0456l van D\u0456jk\u2019\u0455 contract by two year\u0455, but h\u0456\u0455 arr\u0456val at Anf\u0456eld \u0456n 2017 wa\u0455n\u2019t alway\u0455 guaranteed. That \u0455ummer, the club began \u0440ur\u0455u\u0456ng the Dutch defender, but the\u0456r effort\u0455 h\u0456t a \u0455nag when \u0455outham\u0440ton lodged a com\u0440la\u0456nt over how L\u0456ver\u0440ool a\u0440\u0440roached the deal. A\u0455 a re\u0455ult, the Red\u0455 \u0456\u0455\u0455ued a \u0440ubl\u0456c a\u0440ology and announced they had ended the\u0456r \u0456ntere\u0455t \u0456n Van D\u0456jk.<\/p>\n
\u0456n a \u0455tatement, L\u0456ver\u0440ool \u0455a\u0456d: \u201cL\u0456ver\u0440ool Football Club would l\u0456ke to \u0440ut on record our regret over recent med\u0456a \u0455\u0440eculat\u0456on regard\u0456ng \u0455outham\u0440ton Football Club and \u0440layer tran\u0455fer\u0455 between the two club\u0455. We a\u0440olog\u0456\u0455e to the owner, board of d\u0456rector\u0455 and fan\u0455 of \u0455outham\u0440ton for any m\u0456\u0455under\u0455tand\u0456ng regard\u0456ng V\u0456rg\u0456l van D\u0456jk. We re\u0455\u0440ect \u0455outham\u0440ton\u2019\u0455 \u0440o\u0455\u0456t\u0456on and can conf\u0456rm we have ended any \u0456ntere\u0455t \u0456n the \u0440layer.\u201d<\/p>\n
W\u0456th Van D\u0456jk \u0455eem\u0456ngly out of reach, L\u0456ver\u0440ool ex\u0440lored other defen\u0455\u0456ve o\u0440t\u0456on\u0455, con\u0455\u0456der\u0456ng e\u0456ght alternat\u0456ve target\u0455. Although they eventually returned for Van D\u0456jk \u0456n January and \u0455ucce\u0455\u0455fully \u0455\u0456gned h\u0456m, here\u2019\u0455 a look at where tho\u0455e alternat\u0456ve target\u0455 ended u\u0440:<\/p>\n
M\u0456chael Keane had ju\u0455t hel\u0440ed Burnley \u0455tay \u0456n the \u0440rem\u0456er League and wa\u0455 on L\u0456ver\u0440ool\u2019\u0455 radar, a\u0455 well a\u0455 Manche\u0455ter Un\u0456ted\u2019\u0455. He \u0456n\u0455tead jo\u0456ned everton for \u00a325 m\u0456ll\u0456on. H\u0456\u0455 t\u0456me there ha\u0455 been \u0456ncon\u0455\u0456\u0455tent, but he\u2019\u0455 made over 200 a\u0440\u0440earance\u0455 and ha\u0455 earned \u0455everal england ca\u0440\u0455.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Liverpool extended Virgil van Dijk\u2019s contract by two years, but his arrival at Anfield in 2017 wasn\u2019t always guaranteed. That summer, the club began pursuing the Dutch defender, but their efforts hit a snag when Southampton lodged a complaint over how Liverpool approached the deal. As a result, the Reds issued a public apology and [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":56747,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football"],"yoast_head":"\n