John Aldridge believes that Liverpool’s pursuit of Virgil van Dijk is far from over.
Interest from Anfield was ended in the Holland international earlier this month with an apology to Southampton after claims the player had been ‘tapped up’.
Liverpool’s approach of Van Dijk was reported to the Premier League by the Saints, which prompted the club’s public climbdown.
But Reds legend Aldridge thinks that the transfer could still on and that the defender could force through a move to Merseyside by going on strike.
He said: “Players and their agents hold all the power these days and if he says he won’t kick another ball for Southampton and demands a move, it will happen.
“Tapping up goes on all the time in the game and even if Liverpool went a bit far in their pursuit of Van Dijk before they spoke to Southampton, I don’t believe this transfer story is dead in the water.
“Van Dijk needs to make the next move and I reckon he will tell Southampton that he wants out and he wants to go to Liverpool.”
Liverpool were expected to smash their transfer record in order to land the centre-back, with Southampton looking to command a fee of around £50 million.
Jurgen Klopp is already preparing to make Mohamed Salah the club’s most expensive capture with a deal which could be worth in the region of £39m.