FORMER Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk has been called up to the Holland squad for this week’s crucial World Cup qualifiers.
The classy Southampton centre-back was overlooked when Head Coach Dick Advocaat named a 24-man squad on Friday for the final Group A matches against Belarus and Sweden.
However, Van Dijk has received a late call-up after starting for the Saints for the first time this season in Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Stoke City, playing the full 90 minutes.
The Hoops are continuing to monitor their former player who was linked with a £60million move to Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in the August transfer window.
Anyone watching Match of the Day on Saturday night will have heard the commentator at the Stoke v Southampton match state that informed sources within the game believe that Liverpool will be back in for the big former Celt in the January window after failing to sign him in the summer.
Van Dijk demanded a transfer and was axed by the south coast outfit. Speculation surrounds his future and he could still leave in January.
That would open the way for the Scottish champions to receive a multi-million pound cash windfall with a sell-on clause in his contract.
The Dutch are third in their group, four points behind France and three points adrift of the Swedes.
The three-time World Cup runners-up must win both of their final two games in an effort to overtake Mikael Lustig and Co if they are to have a chance of reaching Russia next summer.
NEW CQN PODCAST FROM CELTIC PARK ON SATURDAY
Kevin Graham is back with a new CQN Podcast from Saturday. He talks to supporters on the bus on the way to Parkhead, interviews John Paul Taylor outside the ground and captures the atmosphere and action inside the ground before getting some more supporters’ views on the bus home after an eventful afternoon at Celtic Park.
Apologies for a few sweary words in this podcast near the end.
