Virgil van Dijk Hands in Southampton Transfer Request Amid Liverpool Rumours

Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk has handed in a transfer request as he looks to force through a move to a "top club." 

The Times' Henry Winter posted the Dutch defender's statement on his Twitter account, with Van Dijk—who has been heavily linked with Liverpool and Chelsea—expressing his desire to "play European football again and challenge for major honours": 

Per Simon Johnson in the Evening Standard, Saints reported Liverpool to the Premier League for tapping up Van Dijk, 26, earlier this summer, theoretically opening the door for Chelsea, who were rumoured to be preparing a £50 million bid.

Both clubs will now be on high alert as each can offer Van Dijk UEFA Champions League football in the 2017-18 season, as well as a potential Premier League title bid. 

Van Dijk joined Southampton from Celtic in 2015 and has since established himself as one of the most consistently solid centre-backs in the Premier League, per Squawka:

He would be a brilliant acquisition for either Liverpool or Chelsea, as both clubs need greater defensive depth ahead of a busy season back in European action.