Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Virgil van Dijk from Southampton for a fee believed to be in the region of £75m, a world record for a defender.
The Reds have been tracking the centre-back for some time and he’ll officially join Liverpool on January 1st.
“Liverpool Football Club can confirm they have reached an agreement with Southampton for the transfer of Virgil van Dijk,” a statement read on Liverpool’s official website.
“The Reds have agreed a deal with the south coast club, and the player himself, that will see the 26-year-old defender move to Anfield when the transfer window re-opens on January 1, 2018.
“The Netherlands international will be assigned squad number four, upon his arrival at Liverpool.”
Manchester City had supposedly made Van Dijk one of their top targets next month, while Chelsea have been courting the Southampton star for some time.
However, Liverpool have acted accordingly to secure the 26-year-old’s services and his capture will significantly bolster Jurgen Klopp’s defensive options.