Southampton have never once acknowledged Virgil Van Dijk’s outspoken transfer request on Aug 7 and have left it up to their captain to decide himself when he is ready to play having stuck to their guns all summer that he is not for sale at any price.

Van Dijk, who signed a six-year deal in May last year, was previously a target for Liverpool until they had to withdraw their interest with an apology for an illegal approach on June 7, and yet many outside Southampton still predicted that the Dutch defender would leave before Thursday’s 11pm deadline. As for Southampton, they never once replied to Van Dijk’s statement asking to leave and his various accompanying complaints.

His long-term contract was one of a number Southampton have agreed over the past 18 months, tying down whom they regard as the key players in their squad with well-paid long-term deals that give both sides security. Van Dijk is regarded within the club as just one part of their plan that has seen Ryan Bertrand, Cedric Soares, Fraser Forster, Oriol Romeu, Dusan Tadic, Nathan Redmond, Sofiane Boufal, Jack Stephens, James Ward-Prowse and January signing Manolo Gabbiadini all either agree new long-term deals or join on long-term contracts.