Van Dijk wants exit, Saints won't sell

Cape Town - Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino insists they won't sell Virgil van Dijk even though the defender is refusing to play for the club.

The 26-year-old remains determined to leave the Saints with Liverpool eager to bring him to Anfield, but Pellegrino is unmoved by the player's desire.

“The situation is the same," said the Saints manager, according to the Daily Echo.

“I can’t say no more, because the situation is the boy is aside of the team because he don’t want to play for us.”

He added: “I would like to bring the boy and to persuade him that he’s important for us and the club will not sell him.

“We are expecting the best for everyone, even for Virgil, but he don’t want to be part of the team.

“This is the reason he is aside from the team.”

The drama surrounding Van Dijk only added to the heavy atmosphere at St Mary's on Wednesday when German side Augsburg thrashed the Saints 4-0.