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Mauricio Pellegrino admits Virgil van Dijk's long-term future at Southampton is uncertain because "everybody has got a price." Van Dijk was the subject of serious interest from Liverpool in the recent transfer window before the Merseyside club had to publicly apologise to Southampton amid tapping-up allegations. The centre-half submitted a transfer request in an attempt to force a move, but Southampton stood firm and the Netherlands international has gone on to play six times for the Saints so far this season. Speaking about Van Dijk's future, Southampton manager Pellegrino said: "You never know because the market, when we talk about money, everybody has got a price. "The budget to sign players, the biggest teams have got money to try to sign players. I can't decide about that. This is a question for our owners. I don't know, I can't control the market. "I cannot control the whisper about my player because we have got a lot of good players, and most of the teams want to sign them. "The majority of the teams in Europe want to try to improve their squad and the market is huge now around the world, and information is enormous right now. We can't control this and we have to be focused. "Right now Virgil is thinking about us but a lot of players are thinking about other clubs, we are thinking about maybe other players to try and bring here next year. "Everybody is focused on their area to try to bring the best players possible for our club. It is something that happens every single transfer window." Van Dijk will visit Anfield with Southampton for Saturday's Premier League encounter, which is the first meeting of the two sides since Liverpool's statement back in June. "He is training well and thinking about the club," Pellegrino added. "We can't control the market and the whispers. We talk about something we can control. "As a manager and people in this club we have a lot of players who are important, a lot of clubs in the world want players from our club. Virgil is one of this but we have to focused on our job." Meanwhile, Jamie Carragher says Liverpool's Joe Gomez has a chance of making England's World Cup squad this summer if he maintains his excellent form. Earlier in the week, Gomez made his first start for his country and was subsequently named Man of the Match following his display in England's goalless draw with Brazil at Wembley. "I thought he did really well. I think he's had a great season," Carragher told Liverpool's official website. "He's come in at right-back and at first he was chopping and changing with Trent [Alexander-Arnold], but now it looks like he's got the shirt at this moment and long may that continue for him because it looks like Gareth Southgate, from an England point of view, is going to give young players a chance. "A performance like that puts him in a great position, I think, going forward with the World Cup in the summer. "He's given himself a great shout for the World Cup but he'll have no chance of that unless he performs for Liverpool in the way he has been doing. "If he continues like that he'll have a decent chance and most importantly he'll have a great chance of impressing Jurgen Klopp."
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