Virgil van Dijk is close to joining Milan "sooner or later", according to Italian media reports, even though the Dutch defender wants to stay at Liverpool this summer. The claims follow a wave of doubt over the Reds captain's future at Anfield, with the 34-year-old now heading into the final year of his contract.
Renowned Italian journalist and analyst Carlo Pellegatti, cited by "Football Italia", claims Van Dijk favoured a move to the San Siro and agreed personal terms with the Rossoneri board, only to ultimately choose to stay and marshal Liverpool's back line. At 35, he remains a target for many clubs, and his name still features prominently among coach Ruben Amorim's options.
Pellegatti defended his stance in a video on his official YouTube channel. "Every now and then some people mock my talk about Van Dijk joining Milan, but they did exactly the same thing in the January that preceded the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic," he said.
He then spelled it out. "I continue to emphasise what Gerry Cardinale (the club's owner) made clear in a frank statement: either we get him now for a fee or we sign him next year for free. And I repeat that Van Dijk will wear the Milan shirt sooner or later, and we will see whether Cardinale changes his mind or not, but I assure you that the name was not merely speculation out of nothing."
Liverpool signed Van Dijk from Southampton in January 2018 for 85 million euros, and he has since become one of the club's greatest names in its modern history. He has racked up 380 official appearances in the Reds shirt, scoring 36 goals and providing 16 assists. His trophy haul includes two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the European Super Cup, the Club World Cup, the FA Cup and two League Cups.