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Neil Warnock has recalled how he missed out on signing Virgil van Dijk years before the defender joined Liverpool.

The Reds signed Van Dijk from Southampton in January 2018 in a deal worth £75 million.

The centre-back has gone on to become one of the best defenders in the modern era at Anfield and was named the club captain last summer following the departure of Jordan Henderson.

Van Dijk has made 267 appearances for Liverpool, with 23 goals from centre-back, and has won eight major trophies during his time at Anfield.

However, according to Warnock, the defender's career could have gone very differently.

Southampton signed Van Dijk from Celtic in 2015, and Warnock has explained how he tried to get Crystal Palace to sign the defender during his time as manager.

Warnock, who was manager at Selhurst Park in 2014 in his second stint in charge, has explained how he tried to convince the Eagles hierarchy to sign Van Dijk years before his eventual move to Liverpool.

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“I said to Steve Parish [chariman], who’s still at Palace now, and the stats man that I want to sign [Virgil] Van Dijk for three million pounds," said Warnock on William Hill and Footy Accumulators’ podcast, No Tippy Tappy Football.

"Parish, as with many of the other chairmen, rely on the stats man and he was saying that he didn’t think he was quick enough for the Premier League.

“I told them why he doesn’t look quick, he reads the game that well that he doesn’t have to break a sweat!

We didn’t end up signing him and Southampton picked him up for four or five million and ended up getting 70-odd million for him when Liverpool signed him.

“I remember when we played Liverpool next, Van Dijk came up to me and said, ‘You nearly signed me!’ – he knew all about it.

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