Nigel Adkins says Virgil van Dijk needs to show some respect to Saints amid interest from Liverpool

VIRGIL van Dijk needs to show Saints some "respect" amid the ongoing transfer saga, according to the club's former manager Nigel Adkins.

Van Dijk is currently training alone after telling the club he wants to leave, but Saints have told him he's not for sale.

The Dutchman signed a six year contract last summer and Adkins believes that the player needs to respect this.

Liverpool are admirers of Van Dijk, along with most of the Premier League's leading clubs.

"A player and a player's representatives are always going to push to get the best deal they can, Adkins, who led Saints from League One to the Premier League in back-to-back promotions, said.

"He needs to be respectful of Southampton - he needs to be training and training well for them. If something does materialise, then that's just business, that's football, that's life. He's got to deal with that."

He continued: "We've got a situation in football where it's too easy for a player to say 'I am unhappy'… well the player was not unhappy when he signed a contract not so long ago.

"He has to be respectful of that contract as well and if business gets done, get it done privately and done behind the scenes. If Van Dijk does go, Southampton will get the asking price, which seems very expensive at this point in time."