Netherlands manager Dick Advocaat urges Southampton to let Virgil van Dijk join Liverpool as defender trains alone

The defender is currently training alone from the rest of the squad and missed the preseason tour of France

Netherlands manager Dick Advocaat has urged Southampton to allow Virgil van Dijk to move to Liverpool this summer after the defender was left to train alone.

The Dutch defender was due to leave St Mary’s for Anfield earlier in the summer transfer window for £50m, but the Reds were forced to pull out of the signing and publicly apologise to the Saints after they threatened to lodge a complaint with the Premier League over an “illegal approach”.

But Van Dijk is still adamant he wants a move away from the south coast and has been training on his own away from the rest of his teammates during preseason as he continues to push for a move to Liverpool.

But former Sunderland coach Advocaat has sympathy for his centre-back and believes Southampton should pander to his wishes, despite admitting he sees why Van Dijk’s actions are being condemned.

“You can condemn it (Van Dijk’s actions), but come on, if you can earn five times as much at a top English club then I understand that,” he told Dutch outlet AD.

However, new Saints manager Mauricio Pellegrino has reiterated that he expects the club not to sell Van Dijk and harbours hope that he will convince him to stay for another season.

“The situation is the same. I can’t say no more, because the situation is the boy is aside of the team because he doesn’t want to play for us,” the Southampton manager said after his side’s 4-0 preseason defeat to Augsburg.

“I would like to bring the boy and to persuade him that he’s important for us and the club will not sell him. We are expecting the best for everyone, even for Virgil, but he doesn't want to be part of the team.”