Reds land record £75m Van Dijk

Liverpool signed Southampton's Virgil van Dijk on Wednesday for a reported £75 million in a deal that makes him the world's most expensive defender.

Van Dijk has been linked with a move to Liverpool for several months and the Anfield club were forced to issue an apology after an alleged illegal approach for the Netherlands international earlier this year.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has remained determined to sign Van Dijk as he tries to shore up a leaky defence that has fatally damaged Liverpool's Premier League title ambitions.

"Delighted and honoured to have agreed to become a Liverpool FC player," Van Dijk wrote on Twitter, alongside a photo of him with a Liverpool shirt. "Today is a proud day for me and my family as I join one of the biggest clubs in world football.

"I can't wait to pull on the famous red shirt for the first time in front of the Kop and will give everything I have to try and help this great club achieve something special in the years to come."

Although Chelsea and Manchester City were said to be interested, Klopp finally got his man on weekly wages of £180,000.

The previous world record transfer for a defender was the £54 million Manchester City paid Tottenham for England right-back Kyle Walker in the close season.

Saints confirmed that Liverpool's offer had shattered the record, but didn't reveal the exact fee.

"Southampton have agreed a fee that will set a new world-record for a defender. The club wishes Virgil well in his future when the deal is completed on January 1st 2018," a statement read.

A fee of £75 million would also be level with Romelu Lukaku as the second most expensive transfer in Premier League history, behind only Manchester United's £90 million purchase of Paul Pogba.

Van Dijk, who moved to Southampton from Celtic in 2015, was left out at the start of the season by new Saints manager Mauricio Pellegrino after having a transfer request rejected.