Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk was linked with a move to Liverpool in the summer transfer window.
According to The Mirror, Liverpool wanted to sign Van Dijk from Premier League rivals Southampton in the summer transfer window, with the defender himself claimed to be interested in a switch to the Reds.
Nothing materialised, though, as the Netherlands international central defender will remain at Southampton until January at least.
Former Arsenal star Merson has suggested that Liverpool should make a move for the ex-Celtic star in the January transfer window.
“Liverpool should go back in for him in January because they need him,” Merson wrote about Liverpool and Van Dijk in The Daily Star. “But Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City all needed centre-backs in the window too.
“There could be a lot of clubs in for him come January. If somebody puts a lot of money on the table, Southampton will have to sell.
“I just think it got petty because they didn’t want to sell to Liverpool after it all came out in public and because of the claims he was tapped up.
“But I still think that if anybody else had offered £60m or £70m before the window shut, they would have taken it.”
Liverpool have a good squad which can challenge for a top-four finish in the Premier League this season.
The Reds, though, could have done with Van Dijk, who is one of the best central defenders in the Premier League.
It would make sense for the Merseyside outfit to make a move for the 26-year-old Dutch centre-back in the summer transfer window, but would Southampton sell him in the middle of the season?
Southampton signed Van Dijk from Scottish Premiership giants Celtic in the summer of 2015 for a transfer fee reported by BBC Sport to be worth £13 million.
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