Southampton are resigned to selling Virgil van Dijk next month and will seek to raise £70 million by setting up an auction between Manchester City and Liverpool. The Holland defender was left out of Southampton’s squad again yesterday and the south-coast club will now seek to maximise his transfer fee.

The Times reported on December 15 that City were keen on Van Dijk and were ready to compete with Liverpool for the 26-year-old centre back, who had wanted to leave Anfield throughout the summer. Liverpool publicly pulled out of the chase after being accused of tapping up the defender but have been building bridges behind the scenes through Mike Gordon, president of Fenway Sports Group, the club’s owners. City’s unbeaten start to the Premier League