Saints insists Van Dijk 'is not for sale'

This summer has been dominated by big-money transfers and agitated players, with the future of Saints' unsettled 26-year-old centre-back one of the more turbulent sagas.

Speculation continues to link the Holland international with a move to Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side and Premier League champions Chelsea, with the defender last week taking matters into his own hands by handing in a transfer request.

But Saints chairman Krueger has reiterated that the defender is not going anywhere.

"Virgil is not for sale in this window and it's not personal," the chairman said, just days after the Gao family bought an 80 per cent stake in the club. It's not about him, it's about an overall much, much, much bigger picture - a change of course for Southampton."