The Hoops are currently working their way through the qualifying stages of the Champions League and last night secured a 1-0 win over Dedryck Boyata in the first leg of their third qualifying round.
The Scottish Champions though are reported to be privately resigned to losing Van Dijk should they fail in reaching the group stages as the defender is keen to force himself into the Dutch reckoning for next summer’s European Championship finals and he believes that without European football then the Premier League will be the place to make that happen.
As well as the Swans, Sunderland and Southampton are both reported to be interested in the player who said earlier this summer “I don’t know why I’m not in the Holland national team. Apparently I didn’t impress Hiddink and (assistant Danny) Blind enough the last two times I was selected.
“A transfer to the English Premier League would help but I’m open for all top leagues — England, Germany, Spain, France. But in the end I have to like the team and Celtic has to agree with the bid and transfer.
“When you play in the Premier League in Holland and England, you get more recognition — that’s obvious. Whether it is right or not, I’ll leave that for others to judge.
“If I played in a major European league, then the probability of selection is greater.”
Celtic though are keen not to sell with manager Ronny Delia saying “Again it’s a never-ending story this before we are in the first of September. We want to keep him, we don’t need to sell him, and he’s a very important player for us.”
However, Celtic boss John Collins admits that it would be difficult to keep the player should they fail to reach the group stages “Would it be difficult to keep him if we don’t make the Champions League? Probably, but hopefully we won’t have to deal with that”
Time will tell on this one but the link between the Swans and the player won’t go away so let’s see how this one pans out.
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