'Virgil van Dijk left me gobsmacked when he revealed real reason Man Utd didn't sign him'

Liverpool legend-in-waiting Virgil van Dijk near a team-mate stunned erstwhile helium told them the details astir Manchester United's misguided determination to permission him up for grabs

Virgil van Dijk antecedently revealed wherefore Manchester United didn't motion him earlier helium joined Liverpool.

The imperious centre-back, 33, made himself a antheral successful request with his performances for Southampton. Van Dijk proved helium could grip the tempo of the Premier League and immoderate pursuing his £11.5million determination from Celtic.

A determination to 1 of the apical six soon seemed inevitable. But it could've been United, not Liverpool, who helium signed connected the dotted enactment for had Old Trafford chiefs not made a determination they've been made to regret.

Back successful the 2017 summertime transportation window, the Red Devils were successful the marketplace for a caller defender. Van Dijk was connected their two-man shortlist, but they opted to spell for the different option.

That's according to Charlie Austin, who recalled a speech helium had with his erstwhile team-mate aft he'd failed to unafraid his desired determination distant successful that window. Speaking connected talkSPORT successful 2021, Austin explained: "I retrieve the backmost extremity of his [Van Dijk's] Southampton career, we were connected the seat unneurotic astatine Chelsea away.

"I sat there, I said, 'Come connected Virgil, what's going on, surely Man United must've been successful for you? Massive nine successful England, etc.' He said, 'You cognize what Chaz, successful the summertime it was similar betwixt maine oregon Lindelof and they signed Lindelof'.

"I was like, 'You are joking!' Nobody knows that, helium told maine that connected the bench. I couldn't judge it, I was conscionable arsenic gobsmacked arsenic you. Obviously, determination was speech successful the summertime helium was going to spell determination past they've gone and taken Lindelof instead."

Lindelof has gone connected to marque 260 appearances for United successful the seven-plus years since, but he's ne'er convinced capable to beryllium an established starter. According to the Times, they went backmost successful for Van Dijk earlier his January 2018 power to Anfield for £75m.

But adjacent though they offered much wealth to the Saints, it proved to beryllium excessively small excessively precocious with his aesculapian already completed. United would spell connected to motion Harry Maguire for £80m that summertime instead, different determination that hasn't unfolded arsenic good arsenic it was hoped it would.

Their fans tin instrumentality immoderate solace from the information that Austin reckons it's a transportation that ne'er would've happened anyway. Asked if Van Dijk would’ve gone to United, helium replied: "I’m not sure, I deliberation helium had his bosom acceptable connected going to Liverpool."

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