Manchester City are nearing a £60m deal to sign Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk after the Dutchman was left out of the squad that travelled to London for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur. Manchester City are nearing a £60m deal to sign Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk after the Dutchman was left out of the squad that travelled to London for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur. The 26-year-old defender handed in a transfer request in the summer to try and force through a move to Liverpool, only for Saints to stand firm in the defiance against selling him and exile Van Dijk from the first team squad until the transfer window shut at the start of September. Van Dijk has since returned to Mauricio Pellegrino’s squad and been a regular starter this season, but he was left out of the side that was named by the manager to take on Spurs and did not travel with the rest of the squad. Online Editors

Source: Irish Independent December 26, 2017 13:02 UTC