Virgil van Dijk Was Lured by the Stature of Liverpool Following Similar Experiences With Celtic

Liverpool secured a major coup on Wednesday after successfully ending their summer transfer saga with Southampton by securing the signature of Virgil van Dijk, who was lured to Anfield due to the stature of the club and the fan base, akin to the experiences he had with his former club Celtic. 

The centre-back had long been searching for a transfer away from St Mary's after submitting a transfer request during the summer, and the Dutch defender finally secured the move he had been pinning for for months after a deal was sealed for £75m - which will be made official on January 1.

Manchester City and Chelsea reportedly held interest in signing the 26-year-old, but Van Dijk was convinced his future lied with Liverpool after being convinced by the combination of the club's history, Anfield and the manager Jurgen Klopp. 

The Times report that van Dijk was seduced by the similarity that exists between Liverpool's rich history and their passionate fan base and the fervour that he experienced during his two-year spell with Celtic.  

That feeling was compounded when Van Dijk made the trip to Anfield with Southampton in mid-November, as the reality of what could have been five-months post a dramatic transfer battle hit home. 

The Saints had been easily swept a side by a rampant Liverpool outfit when the defender turned to one of his teammates on the walk back to the dressing room and said: "Why wouldn't you want to play here?" 

His longing has since turned into reality as his move to Anfield has been secured, with the Reds now hoping the 26-year-old returns to the form which earned him the title of being one of the best central defenders in the Premier League.