Former Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk has insisted that he is not feeling the pressure of his price tag at Southampton.
The Saints splashed out around €18m in the summer to prise him away from Celtic, making him the second most expensive Dutch defender ever, after former Manchester United man Jaap Stam.
Lazio shelled out €26m in 2001 to secure the signature of the Dutchman from Manchester United and invariably Van Dijk’s is being compared to the former Dutch defender because of his price tag.
However, he is not allowing the comparison to affect his game and stressed that in this day and age, he had no control over the fee for which he arrived at Southampton, so he is not allowing the price tag to affect his game.
Speaking to Helden Online, the Saints defender said: “Ah, there are more crazy amounts paid to footballers, as that is the football world we live in.
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“It does not put any extra pressure on me, but it is fun to be on the list.”
Van Dijk has earned widespread praise for his performances for the Saints this season and he revealed that familiar faces at St. Mary’s have allowed him to settle down easily on the south coast of England.
The defender said: “I ended up in a fantastic environment, with people I already knew.
“Of course Jordy Clasie, but also Dusan Tadic; I played with him at FC Groningen. There is also a physical trainer in the staff, whom I worked with at Celtic.
“All this has made it easier [to settle down].”
