CELTIC are poised to miss out on adding to their prospective £30million Champions League bonanza.
The Hoops almost certainly booked their place in the money-spinning group stages after their 5-0 trouncing of Astana in the first leg of their play-off in midweek.
But it doesn’t look as though they will pick up a reported £6million in a sell-on clause in Virgil van Dijk’s contract, if you take the Saints chairman at his word.
The Dutch international centre-half, who quit Parkhead in a £13million deal for Southampton two years ago, has been linked with Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City throughout the summer.
But Saints chairman Ralph Krueger is adamant the classy defender is “not for sale”.
Van Dijk demanded a transfer last week, but the club’s supremo claimed: “Virgil is not for sale in this window and it’s not personal.
“It’s not about him, it’s about an overall much bigger picture – a change of course for Southampton.
“The first summer I was here, five players went out and six went in, not counting academy. Second summer, three went out, seven came in and third summer five went out, five came in.
“Now it is one out and two in and this is who we want to become.”
Van Dijk has been training away from the first team as he attempts to force an exit.
However few informed sources within the game believe that van Dijk will still be a Southampton player come the end of the transfer window.
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