Celtic windfall from Liverpool's record £75m Virgil van Dijk deal

Liverpool's world-record £75 million deal for Southampton's Virgil van Dijk is set to net Celtic a £7.5m windfall.

Virgil van Dijk celebrates a goal for Southampton. Picture: Glyn Kirk//AFP/Getty Images

The Anfield club announced the signing, from 1 January, yesterday, breaking the record fee for a defender.

Celtic signed the 26-year-old Dutchman from Groningen for £2.6m in 2013 and raked in £13m when they sold him to the Saints two years later, adding a ten per cent sell-on clause.

The latest fee eclipses the £54m paid by Manchester City for England full-back Kyle Walker from Tottenham during the summer.

Van Dijk, who was also reported to have been interesting Chelsea and Manchester City, has finally secured the move he wanted after a protracted transfer saga reached its end.

The Dutchman, who handed in a transfer request during the summer when trying to push through a move, posted a message on his official Twitter account, posing with a Liverpool shirt.

“Delighted and honoured to have agreed to become a Liverpool FC player,” Van Dijk wrote.

“Today is a proud day for me and my family as I join one of the biggest clubs in world football.

“I can’t wait to pull on the famous red shirt for the first time in front of the Kop and will give everything I have to try and help this great club achieve something special in the years to come.”

Van Dijk joined Southampton from Celtic during September 2015 and under the terms of that transfer the Scottish club are set to receive a sell-on fee in the region of £7.5million.

A statement from Liverpool read: “Liverpool Football Club can confirm they have reached an agreement with Southampton for the transfer of Virgil van Dijk.

“The Reds have agreed a deal with the south coast club, and the player himself, that will see the 26-year-old defender move to Anfield when the transfer window re-opens on January 1, 2018.

“The Netherlands international will be assigned squad number four, upon his arrival at Liverpool.”

The Dutchman had been training on his own after handing in a transfer request at the start of August, before finally being has been reintegrated into the senior squad as he recovered from an ankle injury.

The 26-year-old had made it clear he wanted the club to take up the interest from Liverpool, who issued a public apology in June following suggestions of an improper approach for the centre-back.

Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger had always been adamant that Van Dijk was not for sale and said keeping the defender is ‘’the statement we need to make’’ as the south coast club looked to sustain their progress.

Van Dijk made his first appearance of the season under new Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino as a late substitute in the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on September 16.

The former Celtic defender added in his Twitter post he would “always be indebted” to Southampton for giving him the chance of Premier League football.

“Despite a difficult last few months, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Saints and have made friends for life at the club. Thank you for everything,” Van Dijk wrote.