http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/07/21/mauricio-pellegrinovirgil-van-dijk-wants-leave-southampton-not/
The new Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino has revealed that Virgil van Dijk says he wants to leave and is not currently in a fit “psychological” state to play for the club, with the Argentine coach having ordered the defender to train separately from the first team squad.
In his first interview since taking over at Southampton, Pellegrino has reiterated the club’s stance that Van Dijk will not be sold this summer and says that he hopes the 26-year-old will be reintegrated into the squad once he accepts the situation.
As things stand, Van Dijk, already the subject of a high-profile failed attempt by Liverpool to sign him, will not travel to France next week for a training camp and friendly against Saint Etienne a week on Saturday.
Having signed a new six-year contract last summer, the Dutchman’s performances last season made him the most sought-after defender in Europe with a value in excess of £60 million. Last month, Liverpool issued a public apology to Southampton and pledged to end their interest in Van Dijk when faced with a potential Premier League investigation into their conduct.
Yet Van Dijk has made it clear he still wishes to leave the club despite the firm stance taken by owner Katharina Liebherr and chairman Ralph Krueger over his future.
Van Dijk was also on Chelsea’s list of defensive targets at the start of the summer. Speaking at Southampton’s Marchwood training ground, Pellegrino said that he believed that Van Dijk would eventually return to the first team squad.
Pellegrino said: “My relationship with Virgil is excellent. I was clear with the boy, and I was talking from the first day with him. The club was clear. The club told me they will not sell Virgil. I communicate the idea of the club to the players and for me it was easy [to leave Van Dijk out of training] because I had to manage the dynamic of the team.
“Now he is not involved with the team because psychologically he is not 100 per cent. If you are not 100 per cent with the team I need to work with the players who are 100 per cent to defend Southampton. It’s easy for me.”
It was Pellegrino’s decision that Van Dijk train separately, and the Argentine is expected to be uncompromising when it comes to protecting the team spirit at the club.
“The boy said that he is not available to play because he wants to leave. This is the decision. I had to say, ‘If you don’t want to be involved because you don’t feel okay then you have to train alone until this period of time is over.”
Player power ?
Does Pellegrino think he can change the tide.
If an employee says he wants to leave then f**k em out of the door muy pronto and get on with the people who do want to work with you.
The lad's head isnt on the South Coast.
Take the money for him.
« Last Edit: Jul 22, 2017 04:59:02 pm by MIRO »
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