By Daily Sports on August 8, 2017

Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk has confirmed he has handed in a transfer request and has hit out at his employers for handing him a two-week fine and accusing him of refusing the train.

The 26-year-old's future has been subject to a long-running saga this summer, with Premier League sides Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal all associated with the player. Indeed, Saints even accused the Anfield club of making an illegal approach for the ex-Celtic man, although Jurgen Klopp has distanced his side from making a move for the defender.

Nevertheless, after he was left out of Southampton's squad for a pre-season training camp in Evian-les-Bains, France, after asking manager Mauricio Pellegrino for a move, speculation has only grown increasingly rife. Now the player himself has confirmed his decision to leave.

The Dutchman said, via a statement to The Times: "It is with regret that I can confirm that I have today handed in a transfer request to leave Southampton Football Club.

"Unfortunately, I feel I have no alternative after I was given notice of the club's intention to impose a disciplinary sanction against me of a fine equivalent to two week's wages. I will be appealing what I feel to be an unjustified sanction and their inability to follow the correct disciplinary protocol in due course.

"Over the past six months I have held numerous discussions with representatives of the board, the former manager Claude Puel as well as the new manager Mauricio Pellegrino to inform them all of my desire to leave the club in search of a new challenge."

I am incredibly ambitious and want to achieve as much as I possibly can to fulfill my potential in what is a very short career as a professional footballer. I want to play European football again and challenge for major honours and as such I would like Southampton to consider the interest in me from top clubs should it still exist.

"I have been left frustrated by the club's position that I am not for sale and am disappointed that enquiries from multiple top clubs have been consistently rebuffed."

The period of time that I have just spent injured and unable to play has put a number of things into perspective and made me realise just how important it is to take major opportunities should they arise.

"I have consistently relayed my feelings to senior management at Southampton in what I believed to be private and personal conversations. Disappointingly, these conversations have regularly found their way into the media. (GOAL) 

•Photo shows Van Dijk.

Source Daily Sports

Posted August 8, 2017

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