VIRGIL VAN DIJK, the £75 million former Celtic defender, will not be allowed to make his debut for Liverpool against Burnley today.
The classy Dutch star officially completed the world record move from Southampton earlier this morning, but his registration will not be completed in time.
Van Dijk, 26, agreed the big-money switch – with the Hoops netting £7.5million in a sell-on clause – on December 27, but with the January transfer window now open, his deal has now been rubber-stamped.
The international said: “With the history at the club and everything around it – even the training ground – it is just a perfect match for me.
“Obviously, there is a lot of money being paid, but I can’t do anything about that money. It’s only the market.
“The only thing I can do is just work hard, do the good things and be 100 per cent every day.
“That’s what I definitely want to do – and I am going to do.”
Liverpool’s determination to capture the signature of the big Dutchman is great news for Celtic who have secured a huge windfall from the sell-on clause inserted when the player was sold to Southampton in August 2015.
The MSM quoted 10% for the sell-on clause is incorrect and Celtic will be able to note an overall transfer figure for the player at over £20 million when combining the initial fee plus the windfall.
NEW CQN PODCAST OUT NOW! CHRISTMAS JUMPERS FOR GOALPOSTS
Paul John Dykes and Kevin Graham are joined by Celtic authors, Stephen Sullivan and Stevie Murray for a special festive episode – Christmas Jumpers for Goal-Posts.
Stephen Sullivan is a former Celtic View reporter who wrote the much-lauded Sean Fallon biography, ‘Iron Man’. He is now the editor of FIFA.com.
Stevie Murray has now written two books on Celtic – ‘Ten Men Won The League’ and ‘Kenny of the Celtic’ – and he is a respected and authoritative voice on the club.
Treat yourself to a signed copy of Jim Craig – Right Back to 67 and you will receive a copy of That Season on Paradise signed by Bertie Auld, just order the Jim Craig book at CQNbookstore.co.uk and we’ll do the rest…
