Liverpool have officially withdrawn themselves from the race for heavily saught after, Virgil Van Dijk.

This comes after weeks of reports linking the Reds to the Dutch centre back.

The club released the following statement:

“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. ”

Jurgen Klopp’s interest in the player has become apparent in recent weeks, with it being rumoured that secret discussions had been made with Klopp and Van Dijk in association with a move to Merseyside.

It was also reported recently that Van Dijk himself had declared Liverpool his number one destination,  leaving the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City heavy hearted.

But, Southampton reacted negatively to stories liking their key man away from St Mary’s and reported Liverpool to the Premier League over the way the speculation has been reported.

They allege that they haven’t had any real idea over what the situation is- stating that they hadn’t received any contact from Jürgen Klopp or any club representative.

This is a major blow for the Reds in the transfer market, as the former Celtic defender would have been a terrific acquisition.