Liverpool have secured their first signing of the transfer window.
The transfer window isn’t yet officially open but one of January’s biggest deals has already been struck, with Liverpool agreeing to sign Virgil Van Dijk from Southampton.
The centre-back will join Liverpool on January 1st for £75 million – a world record fee for a defender, as reported by BBC Sport.
It is clear that the path from Southampton to Liverpool is a well-trodden one, with the likes of Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana and Nathaniel Clyne having all been involved in such transfers.
Given that Van Dijk is likely to replace Dejan Lovren in the Liverpool starting lineup, comparisons will inevitably be drawn between the pair, with the Croatian having made the switch to Anfield in 2014.
Lovren has struggled for consistency during his time at Liverpool and has made several costly mistakes, but Van Dijk has the quality to ensure that he will be able to perform far better.
Although Lovren impressed at Southampton, he only had one season at the club, while Van Dijk, in comparison, has produced many excellent performances in his two and a half years at Southampton.
Van Dijk is more composed in possession than Lovren, is superior aerially and surely won’t be fazed by the intense scrutiny and pressure he will be placed under, with the Dutchman determined to prove that Liverpool’s considerable outlay on him is worthwhile.
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