..::Football IV::..

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AC Milan confirm Rodriguez arrival from Wolfsburg

AC Milan have confirmed that Wolfsburg full-back Ricardo Rodriguez will arrive at San Siro in the near future.

The Switzerland international's agent confirmed last week that his client was in talks with the Italian giants, and the club have now added fuel to the fire with a cryptic message of their own.

Captioned "Soon", the video posted on Twitter shows Rodriguez's initials in Wolfsburg colours before the background soon changes to the red and black of Milan.

The full-back has also arrived in Italy to complete his move, saying to reporters: "I am very happy to be here. I have not yet spoken to [manager Vincenzo] Montella. Forza Milan!"

Rodriguez will become the Rossoneri's third signing of the summer, with Villarreal centre-back Mateo Musacchip and Atalanta midfielder Franck Kessie having already arrived.


Montella has also signed a contract extension himself, with the club's new Chinese owners looking to improve on a squad that finished sixth in Serie A last season.

 

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Man City outcast Nolito poised to seal Sevilla loan

Nolito is ready to end his short stay at Manchester City by sealing a loan move to Sevilla, Goal understands.

Nolito was pictured dining with new Sevilla director of football Oscar Arias at a cafe next to the club's Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

City are willing to let the 30-year-old leave the club this summer, a year after he joined from Celta Vigo for £13.8 million, after he fell out of favour with Pep Guardiola.

Nolito has barely featured for the City first team since Christmas and he recently made his displeasure at his situation clear, stating in an interview that he hoped the Blues would allow him to return to Spain.

A number of Liga clubs had shown an interest in the forward, including Celta, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla's rivals Real Betis.

But it is Sevilla who appear to have won the race by agreeing to pay Nolito's €4m annual salary in full for the duration of a one-year loan deal.

It is also understood that a clause has been inserted into the deal which would allow Sevilla to purchase the Spain international outright at the end of next season.
Nolito will link up with Eduardo Berizzo, his former coach at Celta, once the deal is confirmed, as the Argentine recently replaced Jorge Sampaoli.

 

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Chelsea & Man Utd target Lukaku: My future has been decided

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku says he has made a decision on his future amid speculation of a big-money move.

The Belgium international has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester United, Juventus and Bayern Munich for several weeks after an impressive season in which he scored 25 goals in 37 Premier League games.Lukaku has been reluctant to speak publicly about his long-term plans but has now revealed he knows where he wants to be playing in 2017-18.

"My agent knows what's going to happen," he told Sky Sports News . "I know what I want to do, and whenever something happens, you guys will know."I'm staying calm and we have an agreement with the club as well. We stay calm and at least we have a direction where we want to go.

"I'm just going to rest for a few days and then just prepare for next season. I want to put the time in on my holiday to take everything to another level and be better than I was last year."He added to Belgium newspaper HLN: "We are now talking to the club. The most important thing is I want to win trophies.

"What I would like most is to play in the Champions League and to try and win the Premier League once - or better, a few times. That would be the most beautiful thing."That's important for my progress as a player. I don't want to stay at the same level. I want to improve and I know where I want to do that."Lukaku also spoke of the injury sustained by Belgium team-mate Eden Hazard in training this week.

The Chelsea star suffered a broken ankle after an accident in a practice session and is expected to miss the start of next season following surgery on the problem.

"I was next to him when he slipped," Lukaku explained. "It was the last action of the game and we all thought it was just a twisted ankle."He stood up and he was really positive. Then we heard the scan results and we were really disappointed for him, because he's a key player.

"He's had a great season so it's disappointing for a big player like him to get injured but he's got a good mentality and he's a good professional so I hope he comes back really quick."

 

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Chelsea & Man Utd target Lukaku: My future has been decided

Lukaku ge next club 1ka godak durata Chelsea wenna puluwan​

 

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Allegri set to sign new Juventus contract

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri is set to sign a new deal with the Serie A champions worth €7 million per year.

Goal understands Allegri - who led Juve to a sixth straight Scudetto as well as the final of the Champions League in 2016-17 - will put pen to paper on a two-year contract on Wednesday that will keep him in Turin until 2019.

The former Milan boss had been linked with Arsenal earlier in the season, but Arsene Wenger's own renewal as well as assurances over transfers at Juve means he will now remain in his current role.

Allegri is keen to improve his squad after Saturday's defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final, with the club hierarchy having promised to back their man over the summer.

Deals for Sampdoria forward Patrik Schick and Lazio's Keita Balde are currently being worked on while the Bianconeri remain hopeful they can tempt Federico Bernadeschi away from Fiorentina.

But Allegri also wants to add at least one high-profile name to his roster, with Paris Saint-Germain's Angel Di Maria and Bayern Munich's Douglas Costa targets in terms of widemen.


The 49-year-old also wants to strengthen in central midfield, with Lyon's Corentin Tolisso, Monaco's Fabinho and Liverpool man Emre Can all of interest.

 

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Pepe says goodbye to Real Madrid fans

Pepe has written a heartfelt farewell note to Real Madrid after confirming his 10-year Santiago Bernabeu stay will soon come to an end.

The combative central defender revealed on Monday he would not be extending his stay when his contract expires this month, having only been offered a deal for one more year instead of the two he was hoping for.

He has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, while rumours of a Premier League switch also abound, but on Tuesday the Portugal international was in the mood for nostalgia.

The 34-year-old wrote on Instagram: "On July 12, 2007 I arrived at Real Madrid with the illusion of a boy who arrived where he had dreamed every day of his childhood."Today, 10 years later, I have to stop wearing this badge. Every day I wore this shirt, I did it with the illusion of always.

"Today I can only thank all of you who have supported me, that you have written this beautiful story with me. Thanks to each one of you, who accompanied me.Thanks to all the friends and colleagues I know will stay wherever I go.

"I say goodbye also to this city, which has seen the birth and growth of my daughters. I am very happy for what I have achieved and I will carry your affection in the heart!

"And I say it again ... The best of these 10 years ??? To train every day, to live with each and every one of the employees of this club ... Treading the Santiago Bernabeu and feeling your support was always magic!

"In my heart I keep your affection, and this feeling of duty fulfilled ... Real Madrid and your affection will always be part of my history, my life! Thanks and Until Always! ".

Pepe won three La Liga titles with Madrid and a hat-trick of Champions League winners' medals.He was often criticised for his perceived ill-discipline on the field, which did little to win favour with neutrals, but he remains a popular figure among Los Blancos fans.

 

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Denmark 1 Germany 1: Kimmich stunner cancels out Eriksen strike

Joshua Kimmich netted an acrobatic 88th-minute equaliser to earn an experimental Germany a 1-1 draw with Denmark in Tuesday's international friendly at Brondby Stadium.

The Bayern Munich midfielder found the net with an overhead kick from just outside the six-yard box in the closing stages to save face for the world champions, with Joachim Low handing six players their debut in the absence of stars such as Mesut Ozil, Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller.

Christian Eriksen opened the scoring after just 18 minutes following some sloppy play from Antonio Rudiger, firing a low shot past Germany goalkeeper Kevin Trapp on his international debut.

Yussuf Poulsen had an effort tipped onto the crossbar for the hosts in the second half and it proved costly as Kimmich's moment of magic drew Low's men level with two minutes left on the clock.

Germany will perhaps face an easier task against San Marino on Saturday as they look to take another step towards World Cup qualification, before Australia await in their Confederations Cup opener on June 19.

Denmark, meanwhile, take on Kazakhstan at the weekend in Group E of Russia 2018 qualifying, with Age Hareide's men sitting third in their section with seven points from five games, six points behind leaders Poland.

The hosts got the first chance of the match when Eriksen reached Jannik Vastergaard with a well-taken free kick in the 15th minute, the centre-back forcing Trapp into a strong save with his acrobatic volley.

There was no denying the Danes three minutes later, though, as Eriksen opened the scoring with a powerful half-volley from the centre of the box after Rudiger clumsily lost the ball inside his own box.

Germany immediately went in search of an equaliser and debutant Sandro Wagner was unlucky to see his shot from a narrow angle blocked by the impressive Vestergaard, while both Leon Goretzka and Julian Draxler were denied by Ronnow when trying their luck from outside the area.

Denmark continued to look dangerous on the break and Eriksen nearly doubled his side's lead early in the second half when he curled a shot inches over the top corner after some good work from Nicolai Jorgensen.

Poulsen was next to come close to making it two for the home side when he chested a cross from the left goalwards, but Trapp just managed to get a hand to it and palm the ball against the crossbar.

Low's men looked particularly dangerous from set-pieces with Niklas Sule and Matthias Ginter testing Ronnow after a corner, the Denmark keeper showing his class with two fine saves in quick succession.

But Germany would eventually get their equaliser in the closing stages of the game, Kimmich beating the impressive Ronnow with a superb overhead kick after Jens Stryger Larsen failed to adequately clear a cross from the left.

 

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Gerrard urges Liverpool to sign Van Dijk

Steven Gerrard has urged Liverpool to make a move for Virgil van Dijk as he feels the Southampton defender could make a huge difference to the team.

Van Dijk has firmly established himself as an integral figure at Southampton following his transfer from Celtic in 2015 and his impressive performances have reportedly drawn the interest of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City.

Recent reports suggest the 25-year-old prefers a move to Anfield, though, and Gerrard would welcome the Netherlands international with open arms."I would love to see Van Dijk in a red shirt. I am a huge fan," Gerrard said in quotes reported by the Daily Mail.

"I thought he was fantastic at Celtic and I thought we should have had a go for him back then."It will cost us a few more quid but I think he is a piece of the jigsaw that would be very welcome and very big for this team."Van Dijk will not be available on the cheap, however, with Southampton reportedly holding out for £60 million.

 

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Pepe to PSG is a done deal – Capello

Fabio Capello has claimed that Pepe’s transfer from Real Madrid to Paris Saint-Germain has been completed and only needs to be announced.

The veteran Italian coach, who has been out of work since leaving his post with Russia in 2015, told Sky Sport Italia that the parties have come to an agreement that will see the veteran Portugal defender move to the Parc des Princes for next season.

“Pepe to PSG? It’s done 100%,” Capello said. “They met at a hotel in Cardiff.”

Pepe, who elected to depart Madrid following their offer of a one-year contract extension when he hoped for two, had been strongly linked to the Parisian club, though there were also numerous Premier League sides hoping to sign him for the 2017-18 season.

The 34-year-old centre-back is known for his competitive nature and enjoyed a highly successful 10-year spell at the Bernabeu, where he won three league titles, three Copa del Rey crowns and was European champion three times. He will leave Madrid on a free transfer, with his contract up at the end of June.

 

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Rashford backs Man Utd move for Morata

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford has endorsed the club's reported move for Alvaro Morata.The Real Madrid forward has had to play second fiddle to Karim Benzema for much of the 2016-17 campaign, making just 14 league appearances.

That has led to suggestions that Zinedine Zidane's side would be willing to sell, with United having been strongly linked with the Spaniard.And Rashford is fully behind the club's apparent pursuit of Morata, believing that the Red Devils need to bring in top players to help their push for trophies.

"At a big club you are going to attract big players and that's what we want," the England man told Sky Sports News HQ when asked about Morata.

"Anyone who can come in and help the club win trophies, which is the ultimate aim, they are the players we want to bring in. Good competition is important if you want to be successful."

Rashford also commented on the influence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney, insisting that he is constantly learning from playing alongside the experienced duo.

"The way they (Ibrahimovic and Rooney) think, their mentality towards the game, they are the biggest things that I can take from their game," Rashford added.

"I think with those type of players, whether they are here for the next five years or however long they are here for, you never stop learning from them."

 

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Man Utd & Milan warned Torino don't want to sell €100m Belotti

Torino's intention is to keep star striker Andrea Belotti for next season, insists president Urbano Cairo.

Belotti burst into spotlight in 2016-17 by scoring 26 Serie A goals for Torino, catching the attention of some of world football's biggest clubs.

The 23-year-old has most recently been linked with AC Milan and Manchester United, with Jose Mourinho's men reportedly seeing him as a back-up option if they fail to sign Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid.Arsenal, Chelsea and Inter are among the other clubs rumoured to be pondering a swoop for the striker.

Belotti's contract in Turin – which was signed last December - includes a €100 million release clause for foreign clubs, but Cairo is going into the off-season with the goal of holding on to his star man.

"I'm not thinking about selling Belotti," he said to Gazzetta dello Sport.
"Belotti is my player, we only renewed his contract recently. Our objective is to keep him."After that, there is a release clause that would make me obliged to sell him, providing someone came in with €100m from abroad.

"Let's see. I haven't talked to him yet because he is currently with the national team. We will see how things go, but our intention would be to keep him."Belotti is with the Italy squad, who have matches against Uruguay and Liechtenstein this week.

 

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De Rossi: I am nearing the end for Italy and Roma

Roma star Daniele De Rossi says he could retire from football in 2019 and does not expect to be playing for Italy beyond next year's World Cup.

De Rossi is part of Italy's squad to play Uruguay in a friendly in Nice on Wednesday and will pass Dino Zoff for outright fifth in the Azzurri's list of most capped players on 113 if he plays.

The midfielder, 33, signed a new two-year deal with Roma last week and thinks he is nearing the end for club and country, even though Rome is a host venue for Euro 2020."Let's first get to the World Cup, and then in 2018 I will be 35 and I could even bid farewell to the Azzurri shirt," De Rossi told reporters.

"It is a real honour for me to go beyond Zoff, soon it will be Andrea Pirlo, so we are talking about legends of Italian football."I will be 34 in a couple of months and I'm absolutely certain that I could be an important player for the World Cup.

"But if I think of 2020, I would be 37 years old, so you have to be realistic. If I'm needed I will always be there, but I consider the World Cup to be my final experience [for Italy]."This contract I have just signed could be the last contract of my footballing career."

De Rossi expressed sadness at the departure of Roma boss Luciano Spalletti, who is set to be named as Inter head coach, but dismissed reports that emerged prior to his contract extension suggesting he could also move to San Siro.

"It doesn't bother me at all that I'm not going to Inter, because I never was an Inter player," he said."I have always worn the same shirt, and it would be a bit strange to see me wearing a different one of any colour.


"I'm sorry [he's gone] because he's a great coach I had a strong bond with. I hope that he doesn't show 100 percent of how good he is at Inter because they are going to be our rivals for the top places next year."

 

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Man Utd climb above Real Madrid to reclaim world’s Richest Club accolade

Manchester United have been named as the world’s most valuable football club for the first time in five years, overtaking La Liga giants Real Madrid.

According to Forbes, whose calculations are based on equity plus net debt, revenues and operating income for the 2015-16 campaign, the Old Trafford outfit are now worth £2.86 billion.During the season before last, United generated revenue of around 765 million US Dollars - approximately £593 million.

"Manchester United's return to the top spot is a testament to their powerful brand and marketing acumen," said Mike Ozanian, assistant managing editor at Forbes Media.

Real, who have been top of the pile for the previous four years, drop to third in the list of most valuable clubs in world football.

Zinedine Zidane’s men recently claimed their second Champions League trophy in as many years and beat rivals Barcelona to the Liga title, but the Catalan side have climbed over Madrid into second place in Forbes’ 14th annual rich list.

Barcelona’s £2.82 billion value shades Real’s £2.77 billion, with Bayern Munich and Manchester City completing the top five.Bayern, who have secured the Bundesliga championship for five consecutive seasons, come in with a value of £2.10 billion, with Pep Guardiola’s City moving above Arsenal with a total of £1.61 billion.

It is the Premier League who dominate the top 20 richest clubs in football, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham joining United and City in the top 10.

Leicester City, shock Premier League champions in 2015-16, move to 19th in the list, while West Ham are 15th following their move into the London Stadium.

 

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Congratulations Manchester United!

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Vardy pulls out of England squad due to minor injury

Jamie Vardy has pulled out of England's squad ahead of their upcoming international double header after sustaining an injury during training.

The Leicester City striker picked up a minor knock but has left the Three Lions' training base as a precaution.England take on Scotland in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday before facing France in a friendly on Tuesday.

Gareth Southgate's men have no plans to call up a replacement for Vardy as of yet, according to a statement on the FA's website.The statement read: “Jamie Vardy has left the England squad as a precaution after picking up a minor injury in training at St. George's Park yesterday.

“The Leicester City striker won't play a part in either Saturday's World Cup qualifier in Scotland or Tuesday's trip to France. “No further players are due to be added to the squad at this moment in time.”

England boss Southgate has Harry Kane, Jermain Defoe and Marcus Rashford to choose from when picking his forward line for the two games, while Jesse Lingard can also operate up front.

Vardy has featured twice for England in 2017, scoring last time out as Southgate's side defeated Lithuania 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in March at Wembley Stadium.

England head into their games against Scotland and France on the back of just one defeat in their last seven matches following their last-16 exit at Euro 2016.

 

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Jardim extends contract with Ligue 1 champions Monaco until 2020

Leonardo Jardim has extended his contract with Monaco until 2020, the Ligue 1 champions have confirmed.Jardim, 42, has seen his stock rise significantly after guiding the club to the French league title during the 2016-17 campaign — Monaco's first top-flight championship in 17 years.

There had been speculation on Tuesday that the Venezuelan — regarded as one of Europe's most promising young coaches — was set to move to the Chinese Super League, per Portuguese outlet A Bola.

However, Jardim has since put pen to paper on fresh terms with Monaco as they look to hold on to their prized assets after a remarkable 2016-17 campaign."The confidence the club has shown in me has always been essential to me," he told Monaco's official website."I feel part of AS Monaco and of the principality. I'm therefore very happy to continue my work at AS Monaco.

"The last three seasons have been exceptional, crowned by the title of champions of France in May. We will therefore work with the same ambition to continue this project and continue to grow this club with the same passion that has inspired us from the beginning.

"I'm certain that the future looks very exciting at Monaco."Bernando Silva has already left Monaco to join Manchester City, while Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Benjamin Mendy have all been linked with big-money moves away.

But Monaco have managed to retain the services of key striker Radamel Falcao — who signed a new contract last week — while Jardim's extension will also provide a huge boost for the club.

Monaco established themselves as one of the most exciting sides in Europe after scoring 107 goals in 38 Ligue 1 games to pip Paris Saint-Germain to the league title.

Jardim's charges also reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, downing Man City and Borussia Dortmund in the knockout stages before losing to Juventus in the last four.

Monaco were beaten by rivals PSG in the Coupe de la Ligue final while Unai Emery's outfit also got the better of Jardim's side in the Coupe de France semi-finals.

 

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Cristiano Ronaldo tops the world's highest-paid athletes in 2017

Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's highest-paid athlete for the second straight year, according to Forbes.The Real Madrid forward earned $93 million — including $58m in salary and bonuses and $35m in endorsements — over the past 12 months to retain the title.

Ronaldo ranks above NBA superstar LeBron James ($86.2m) and Barcelona's Lionel Messi ($80m) in the top three of the annual list produced by the American publication.

Rounding out the top five are tennis great Roger Federer and basketball star Kevin Durant. The top five remained the same from last year with only James and Messi swapping places.Other footballers who made it into the top 50 are Neymar (18), Gareth Bale (24) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (30).

The honour of being named the world's richest athlete comes as no surprise for Ronaldo, whose 121 million Facebook fans are more than any other person in the world.

On the field, he recently led Real Madrid to their second straight Champions League title, was named FIFA's player of the year for the fourth time and scored his 600th career goal.

Ronaldo is also set to be toward the top of the Forbes list for the foreseeable future after securing a contract extension with Los Blancos that will pay more than $50 million annually for the next four years.

 

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Congratulations C.Ronaldo!

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Donnarumma shortlisted as Navas successor as Madrid drop interest in De Gea

Real Madrid have shortlisted AC Milan shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma as a possible replacement for Keylor Navas, but Los Blancos are keeping faith with the Central American for now and have also ended their interested in signing Manchester United's David De Gea.

Navas came under fire from the Madrid media following a number of mistakes earlier on in the season and the club were set on signing a replacement in the summer as their transfer ban was reduced to six months.However, the Costa Rica international ended the campaign in fine form and made a key save from Miralem Pjanic in the Champions League final win over Juventus.

Keylor is a popular player in the dressing room at Madrid and he has received support from some of his team-mates, most notably captain Sergio Ramos, with some of them reportedly asking the club to keep faith in the 30-year-old.

Madrid have wanted to sign De Gea for several seasons and almost sent Navas to Manchester United as part of the planned transfer in 2015, but the paperwork did not go through in time and the Spain goalkeeper ended up signing a new long-term contract at Old Trafford.

A move for De Gea now would cost somewhere in the region of €70 million as United have no need to sell and the player is also happy in Manchester. Madrid have other priorities in the transfer market anyway, with Monaco's in-demand striker Kylian Mbappe their top target.

Next summer, however, could see a move for either De Gea or Milan's Donnarumma, who is out of contract in 2018 and currently stalling on a new deal due to the demands of his agent, Mino Raiola.

Donnarruma has been offered €4.5m per year to stay, which would make him better paid than most goalkeepers in Europe including Gianluigi Buffon, but Raiola - whose cousin Vincenzo is one of the player's best friends - wants Milan to prove their project will be competitive and, above all, that the club hand his client a relatively low release clause in the region of €50m.

The Rossoneri are losing patience with their player - and especially with Raiola - as the saga drags on and have told the goalkeeper he must respond to their offer by the middle of this month in order to prepare for the 2017-18 campaign.

Milan have insisted that they see Donnarumma as a cornerstone of their new project after the recent takeover, but will not allow the player's contract to run down and he will be sold this summer unless an agreement can be reached.

Meanwhile, Madrid are watching developments closely and see the Italian as a potential number one for the future at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, president Florentino Perez prefers to sign stars when they are the finished article and Los Blancos' status as Europe's best club means they have no need to risk an 18-year-old in goal at this stage - especially with Navas back on form.

A move to Real could happen in future and Madrid are one of the few clubs - along with United - that Donnarumma would consider. At the moment, however, the player should still reach an agreement to stay at San Siro beyond next summer and there looks set to be no new goalkeeper arrival at the Bernabeu this summer, either.

 

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Liverpool end interest in Van Dijk after Southampton row

Liverpool have pulled out of the race to sign Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk after a row with their Premier League rivals.Reports earlier in the week claimed the Saints were threatening action over the Reds's pursuit of their player as they felt an illegal approach had been made.

It was claimed the Netherlands international had told Liverpool he wanted to join them without the clubs having opened negotiations regarding any transfer.In a statement on their website, Liverpool apologised for any misunderstanding and confirmed they would no longer look to sign Van Dijk this summer.

"Liverpool Football Club would like to put on record our regret over recent media speculation regarding Southampton Football Club and player transfers between the two clubs," it read.
"We apologise to the owner, board of directors and fans of Southampton for any misunderstanding regarding Virgil van Dijk."We respect Southampton's position and can confirm we have ended any interest in the player."

Van Dijk has been the subject of intense transfer speculation for a number of months after impressing for Southampton since his arrival in the summer of 2015.
Chelsea have been following his progress while he remains on Manchester City's radar, though a big money move for Monaco forward Kylian Mbappe could put any move to the Etihad Stadium on hold for the time being.