Neil Warnock Reveals Reason Crystal Palace Turned Down Chance to Sign Virgil van Dijk for Just £6m

Crystal Palace opted not to sign Liverpool's newest addition and the world's most expensive defender, Virgil van Dijk, when his price-tag was just £6m, according to former manager Neil Warnock. 

Warnock has had two spells at the Eagles throughout his managerial career, but his second spell at the club in 2014 could have seen him secure an incredible coup as he revealed he wanted to sign Van Dijk from Celtic.

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The 26-year-old defender would have demanded a modest fee of around £6m, however the club's chief scout discouraged Warnock from pursuing the Netherlands international as he deemed that Van Dijk was not quick enough to play in the Premier League. 

Van Dijk then went onto to join Southampton and Warnock told talkSPORT: "When I was at Palace, it was difficult to sign players.

"I went after the centre-half at Celtic, Van Dijk, and they wanted £6million. I said 'we have got to buy him, don't we?' 

"The chief scout went to watch him and said 'he is not very quick, it's Scottish football'. That was before Southampton came in for him."

The Daily Mirror's John Cross also revealed on Twitter that Van Dijk was also knocked back by Arsenal, who were also offered the opportunity to sign the defender for just £6m..another one who got away. 

Van Dijk has since propelled himself to be considered one of the top centre-backs in the English top-flight, which attracted the interest from Liverpool who snapped up the central defender for a staggering £75m - where he will make the move to Anfield at the start of January.