OFFICIAL: Liverpool agree £75m Van Dijk deal

Both clubs took to Twitter on Wednesday night to confirm that they have agreed a deal for the Dutchman, who is expected to pocket around £180,000 per week at Anfield.

The deal will be completed when the transfer window reopens on January 1, 2018.

The fee is a world record sum for a defender, breaking the previous record of £52m set when Manchester City lured Benjamin Mendy away from French champions Monaco during the summer.

Liverpool attempted to sign the Van Dijk last summer, but were forced to withdraw their interest when the 'Saints' threatened to report them for an 'illegal approach'.

Jurgen Klopp's side had been prepared to pay £60m for the player then, but given their occasional defensive woes so far this campaign and the bad blood between the sides they have been forced to up their offer in order to agree a deal, with former club Celtic expected to make £7.5m from the move.

Manchester City had previously been heavily linked with a move for the player as they look for cover at centre-half, whilst Chelsea are also believed to have made an enquiry in the recent past, however it is Liverpool that have won the race for his signature.

The 26-year-old revealed his desire to play for the 'Reds' and work under Jurgen Klopp in the summer and he now looks set to get his chance to do just that.

Van Dijk has not featured in any of Southampton's last three games amid speculation that he was on the verge of leaving the club, with those suspicions proving to be correct.

Liverpool have assigned the defender the number four shirt.

Liverpool Football Club can confirm they have reached an agreement with Southampton for the transfer of Virgil van Dijk.

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— Liverpool FC (@LFC) 27 December 2017