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The threat of a Premier League investigation will hang over Liverpool until at least next week as the Virgil van Dijk affair continues to rumble on.

Premier League officials were expected to meet with Liverpool and Southampton at today's top-flight AGM in Harrogate.

It is understood both clubs have been asked to provide further information to the league regarding the alleged illegal approach from the Reds for Southampton defender van Dijk.

That process is not expected to conclude until Monday at the earliest, although a full inquiry is considered unlikely with both clubs believing the matter closed following Liverpool's remarkable statement of regret and apology on Wednesday.

Southampton remain adamant they do not want to sell van Dijk nor do they need to, regardless of Liverpool’s public apology and abandonment of their pursuit of the defender.

With the player keen to make an Anfield move, some Reds fans have been hoping that a deal could somehow be resurrected through the player’s own force of will.

Van Dijk posted a picture of himself today on a plane with no words but simply a thinking bubble. Clearly there’s plenty to think about.

However, the ECHO understands that Southampton would demand a fee of around £70million for their most valuable asset who they do not feel under pressure to sell.

Manchester City ruled themselves out of any pursuit of van Dijk when his preference for Liverpool became known, leaving Arsenal and Chelsea as possible Premier League suitors if there is no further twist in the tale from Liverpool.

The centre-back, who turns 26 next month, is under contract at Southampton until 2022 having only penned a lucrative six-year extension in May last year following an impressive debut campaign in the Premier League.

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Southampton are happy to turn down offers in the region of £50m-£60m for van Dijk this summer as they believe his value will not decline over the next 12 months.

Club chiefs want to get at least another season out of him on the South Coast and their seemingly relaxed position has enabled them to command an inflated fee for the former Celtic man.

Over the past three years, the Saints have raked in over £200m in player sales with almost half of that coming from Anfield in the shape of moves for Rickie Lambert (£4m); Adam Lallana (£25m); Dejan Lovren (£20m); Nathaniel Clyne (£12.5m) and Sadio Mane (£34m).

A combination of Southampton’s debt level plus a perceived lack of depth in their squad ensured that in those previous summers, the club had a policy of selling a few stars for big money and replacing them with greater numbers but they now feel they no longer need to beef up their numbers by parting with their biggest names.

Van Dijk himself and his representatives Wasserman Media Group have remained publicly silent throughout the entire affair and given Saints tough stance, his employers feel that it would require the player to try and force through any potential move. There are question marks over whether he would resort to such measures as he is known as a laid-back character.