Liverpool apologizes to Southampton after reportedly tapping up Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool have apologized to Southampton after the Saints accused the Reds of tapping up center back Virgil van Dijk. Liverpool called the situation a "misunderstanding" in a statement released on Wednesday, which came after Southampton reportedly threatened to file a complaint with the Premier League.

Teams routinely negotiate with players that are still under contract with other teams, albeit with consent. In this case, it appears Liverpool approached van Dijk without permission from Southampton, which is considered "tapping up" or "tampering."

Here is Liverpool's statement in full:

Van Dijk is one of Southampton's most valuable players, rated at around £50 million and drawing interest from a number of the Premier League's top clubs. Despite the player's reported preference to join Jurgen Klopp's outfit, it looks like this breach of etiquette means a Merseyside move is off the table.

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