VIRGIL van Dijk insists he will not be bothered if he is booed by Saints fans when he returns to St Mary’s on Sunday with Liverpool.

The Dutchman moved to Anfield for a world record (for a defender) £75m fee in last month’s transfer window after a well-documented and protracted transfer stand-off.

It is likely to mean the centre-back will get a frosty reception on Sunday when Jurgen Klopp’s side come to the south coast.

“What can you do? Maybe they can boo the whole game,” Van Dijk said.

“What can you do about it? You can’t do anything about it.

“I made the decision, I have enjoyed every bit of it and I am very grateful for everything that they (Southampton) did for me. I have moved on, they have moved on.”

“I know they are struggling and we need to win. I am going there with only one mindset and that is to win.

“Obviously it will be nice to see the players I have played with and the friends I have there but, for me, it is going to be about one thing only and that is to win the game.”

Saints have lost just once in seven games since Van Dijk left, while Liverpool have won just once in four games with the Netherlands international in the team.

Certainly, with the much-maligned former Saint Dejan Lovren, who left St Mary’s for Anfield in 2014, also in the Reds squad, Van Dijk will unlikely be the only recipient of booing on Sunday.

The 26-year-old says he isn’t bothered about other people’s opinions on his mixed start to life on Merseyside.

“I can’t do anything about the fee so it is pretty easy for me. I am pretty calm on that,” he said.

“You are always going to have that but the most important thing is what happens at Melwood and what happens here with the people who care about the team.

“Other people around – fans of other clubs, pundits – they can have their opinions, but it doesn’t really bother me.

“With the football we play, the pressing, the different options with players, it is totally different here.

“So you need time to get used to everything but I am working on it every day together with the team.

“I am talking with the manager and everyone who can help me out. I want to improve and get the maximum out of myself and that is what I am going to do.”

Saints are currently unbeaten in six games in all competitions and dragged themselves out of the Premier League’s relegation zone with a 3-2 comeback win at West Bromwich Albion last Saturday.