Pellegrino makes no promises to Van Dijk over captaincy
Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino has called on Virgil van Dijk to prove that he is worthy of being the team’s captain.
The Dutchman was named as Saints’ team skipper back in January following the departure of Jose Fonte to West Ham. Steven Davis was named as club captain, too.
However, Van Dijk hasn’t played since suffering an ankle injury against Leicester in the same month, and a lot has happened since then.
The defender handed in a transfer request as he looked to force through a move away from Southampton. He went as far as going on strike, with Liverpool being his destination of choice, but his efforts proved to be of no avail.
He’s now back in contention, though, and is ready to play for Saints again. Boss Mauricio Pellegrino has told him that he must earn the captaincy now, following an eventful summer.
Pellegrino, as quoted by Sky Sports, told the media on Thursday afternoon ahead of the weekend’s game against Crystal Palace:
For me the captain is something that the team may decide and is something that you have to deserve, rather than the manager give the charge to be a captain.
Now when he is not playing you cannot give the captaincy to someone who’s not playing, but obviously Virgil is…was one of the leaders.