The Merseyside giants were forced to issue an official apology after an illegal approach for Van Dijk in the summer, but have been determined to wrap up a deal for the defender ahead of the January transfer window.
Liverpool have agreed a world-record fee of £75million for the Netherlands international after holding discreet negotiations this
week.
A club statement reads: ‘Liverpool Football Club can confirm they have reached an agreement with Southampton for the transfer of Virgil van Dijk.
‘The Reds have agreed a deal with the south coast club, and the player himself, that will see the 26-year-old defender move
to Anfield when the transfer window re- opens on January 1, 2018.
‘The Netherlands international will be assigned squad number four, upon his arrival at Liverpool.’
Van Dijk has not featured in Southampton’s most recent clashes with Chelsea, Huddersfield Town and Tottenham which fueled rumours of an imminent move.
The centre-back is expected to receive wages of around £180,000-a-week at Anfield.
Van Dijk held a medical with Liverpool on Wednesday and the club officially announced that they had reached an agreement in the evening.
Asked about Van Dijk’s future after
Southampton’s defeat to Tottenham, Mauricio Pelegrino said: ‘I have to decide what’s best for the team and around Virgil there has been a lot of speculation.
‘The manager decides what is the best. We win, draw and lose, with and without Virgil.
‘We have to wait until January. I can’t control the market so we’ll see what happens.’
Kyle Walker’s £54m move to Manchester City last summer is the current world-record fee paid for a defender.