Virgil van Dijk’s then-record-breaking transfer to Liverpool in 2018 has become one of the most transformative in Premier League history.

However, seven years on, an ex-Southampton executive in charge of the deal has admitted he is embarrassed by the saga in hindsight.

AFP

Van Dijk completed a then-world record transfer for a defender when he sealed a £75million move to Liverpool in January 2018.

He instantly endeared himself to the Kop by scoring an 84th-minute winner on his debut against rivals Everton in the FA Cup.

Giovanni Leoni ‘as good as Van Dijk’

Liverpool fans fittingly got their first look at Leoni during the club’s 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Semmens’ old club, Southampton.

The Italian hugely impressed on his first appearance since his £26m move from Parma before he suffered an injury.

Liverpool will be desperate for Leoni to have avoided any major setback, having already started to deliver on Semmens’ high praise.

Semmens helped bring the 18-year-old to Parma from Sampdoria last year and revealed the centre-back is Van Dijk’s successor in waiting.

“Yeah, absolutely for me [Leoni is the heir to the Van Dijk throne],” Semmens told Matterface, Crook & Deeney on talkSPORT.

“We signed him the second year I was there in the summer, and I have a deep love for the likes of [Newcastle defender] Tino Livramento [for Southampton] and signing these young players. Romeo Lavia: This was the same kind of deal.

“I think it was clearly the best young centre back in Italy, if not Europe. And again, we sold him the vision to come to our club to play in Serie A.

“I think it was 17 when he started playing, and then when the right moment comes, you will go.

“Our understanding was the same with the keeper we bought, [Zion] Suzuki the Japanese keeper. Man United tried to buy him. That’s a rumour I can semi-confirm.

Getty

Getty

His standout showing against Southampton was brought to an early end by injury[/caption]

“The view was that they would probably stay there longer than one year, but Leoni was such a level, and again, I think it highlights Liverpool’s ability that they spotted that.

“There were other clubs in the Premier League that asked me about him – not as an Executive for Parma because I’d left by then, and I told them what I thought, and they didn’t follow through on it. Liverpool never called me.”

“Five or six Premier League teams asked me,” Semmens added. “I told them he’s as good as Virgil.”

“Liverpool never called me, never asked for a reference, because they’ve got such an ability to find those players. Top player!”