'I asked Virgil van Dijk why Man Utd didn't sign him before Liverpool – his answer shocked me'

Former Southampton striker Charlie Austin once lifted the lid on just how close Virgil van Dijk came to signing with Manchester United. However, the Red Devils ended up going in a different direction after opting to sign Victor Lindelof instead.

Liverpool great Van Dijk, 34, had been at St. Mary's for two years already when speculation emerged that United wanted him in the summer of 2017. In a different universe, the centre-back could have been suiting up in the away dressing room this Sunday when United make the trip to Anfield.

But when United failed to agree a deal for the Netherlands international, they signed Lindelof from Benfica instead. And Austin revealed how a deal that could have drastically changed the course of history for two of England's big guns unfolded, or rather didn't.

"I remember in the back end of his Southampton career we were on the bench together at Chelsea away," he told talkSPORT in 2021. "I sat there and was like, ‘Virg lad, what’s going on?

"'Surely Manchester United must have been in for you? Massive club in England, etc.' He went, ‘Do you know what Chaz, in the summer it was like between me and Lindelof, and they signed Lindelof.'

"I was like, 'You are joking!' I couldn’t believe it, I was gobsmacked. There was talk of him going there, and then they have taken Lindelof instead."

Needless to say Liverpool got the superior player when they eventually plumped for Van Dijk's signature in January 2018. Just six months after a proposal from United failed to bear fruit, Van Dijk joined their biggest rivals for £75million, a world-record fee for a defender at the time.

And Austin provided further detail on Van Dijk's efforts to land a move at the time, even going on strike at Southampton in his bid to leave. It wasn't long before he ended up at Anfield, where he would go on to lift two Premier League titles and a Champions League crown.

"The manager was there, [Mauricio] Pellegrino at the time, and in the summer he (Van Dijk) was looking to go," Austin continued. "I remember he (Pellegrino) got everyone around at training, including Virg, and just came out and said, 'Look lads, Virgil wants to go, we’re not allowing it and he’s said he’s not going to play, so he’s not going to train with us.'

"That was in front of everybody. There was no heads-up from the manager. It was stamping his authority. He didn’t move in the summer, two days later the transfer window shut and Virg was starting again on the Saturday. He apologised to the lads but we were like, 'We understand, you were linked with Liverpool and you wanted to go.'"

It's apparent just how passionate Van Dijk was about joining the project Jurgen Klopp was building at Anfield at the time. United had just won a Europa League and EFL Cup double under Jose Mourinho when the summer of 2017 rolled around, but even that wasn't enough to deter his interest in Liverpool.

The two defenders in question have gone on to enjoy contrasting careers in England. While Van Dijk inspired a new era of success on Merseyside, Lindelof spent eight years at Old Trafford during a period of decline.

The Sweden international has his own successes at United, lifting the FA Cup and Carabao Cup as well as finishing as a runner-up in the Europa League on two occasions. Lindelof left United this summer when his contract expired and eventually joined Aston Villa on a free transfer.

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