Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino is not worried about Virgil van Dijk ahead of visiting Liverpool at the weekend.
The Dutchman was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool and he even reportedly agreed a move to Merseyside before the Reds had to publicly apologise to Southampton for illegally tapping up the defender.
Van Dijk even slapped in a transfer request and accused the Saints of trying to stall his career in order to force his way out, but the club remained firm in their stance of not selling the Dutchman.
The defender returned to the fold after the transfer window and has started Southampton’s last five Premier League games, again becoming a key player for the club.
The talk around his future at the club has again been reignited ahead of Southampton’s visit to Anfield on Saturday, but Pellegrino is not worried about Van Dijk’s state of mind ahead of playing against Liverpool, the club he wanted to join last summer.
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The Southampton boss was quoted as saying by the Press Association: "I don't think it will be difficult because Virgil knows he is focused 100% on our team and is training well.
“He wants to improve his performances.
“Obviously he was injured and didn't play games."
A January move to Liverpool has been mooted but Southampton could be unlikely to sell Van Dijk in the middle of the season.
