The former Southampton chief executive has discussed selling Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool for £75 million.

The former chief executive of Southampton has admitted it was wrong that the club did not sell Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool sooner.

The Reds signed the centre-back for a fee of £75 million in January 2018 - a record fee at the time. However, Liverpool had been in pursuit of Van Dijk in the previous transfer window and were forced to issue a public apology to Southampton over ‘any misunderstanding’. The Saints had considered reporting the Reds to the Premier League over an alleged illegal approach.

However, Van Dijk would make the move to Anfield where he has established himself as a club legend. His arrival was transformational for the defence and he played a key role to restore Liverpool to the pinnacle of European football. The Netherlands international has won seven major trophies on Merseyside, including the Champions League and a second Premier League title last season. He was appointed captain after Jordan Henderson’s exit in July 2023 and penned a new two-year contract in April.

Martin Senners, who was Southampton’s CEO at the time, admitted that the south-coast outfit were not impressed by how Liverpool initially handled the deal. But he suggested that the Saints kept hold of van Dijk for too long as his performances were not as good as previously, despite still being their best player.

What’s been said

Speaking on talkSPORT, Semmens said: “Virgil van Dijk was a different one for us. We were prepared to treat him in a different way and said you can't go. It didn't work well for us.

“We didn't [get him back on our side]. Virgil was fantastic, he trained at 75 [per cent] and played at 75 [per cent] and was still the best player in team, if not the league. He didn't cause us any problems, didn't say a bad word to anyone but he wanted to go and it wasn't effective for us to keep the player.

“We kept him until January. It wasn't good for the squad or the environment but Virgil didn't say one negative word to anybody. We felt, at the time, we could get more if he stayed. He'd had a bad injury, he was out for 6-9 months and we felt that he owed us, which is embarrassing when I think back to it.

“There was also some contact from Liverpool we didn't love at the time. He had already met Klopp before he told us but in the end, he did a very good job for us and we sold him for a good price.”

Van Dijk sets out ambitions

Liverpool are currently top of the Premier League after winning their opening three games of the 2025-26 season. Van Dijk is hoping that the Reds can defend the title for the first time since 1984, as well as harbouring ambitions of claiming the Champions League.

Speaking to the club’s website before the start of the campaign, the Liverpool skipper said: “You’re going into the season with goals that you want to compete for every trophy that you participate in. I think that’s the bare minimum for a club like Liverpool. Obviously it’s going to be very tough but we’ve been through very tough times anyway and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to every bit of it.

“We’re all in this together and that’s how it should be. Us as a group with players, staff but together with our fans, we have to go together into this and support each other and be there for each other in the good and lesser-good days.

“We are at a club where legends will be remembered and honoured and always be welcomed back. It’s an amazing feeling and an amazing feeling that we were part of that period of time, but we still are part of the club and want to be successful.

“It’s just amazing, it’s just a special feeling. Personally, I could have never dreamed about this when I was younger. That’s the beauty of football as well and the beauty of life: keep going, consistency, never give up and enjoy the whole ride that’s ahead of you.”