Former Celtic striker Frank McGarvey has told the Parkhead club that it is pointless to attempt to keep Virgil van Dijk if the player has committed his mind to a move elsewhere.

 

The 23-year-old Dutch defender has made no secret that he wishes to ply his trade in a bigger league but Celtic have consistently stated that the player is not for sale, insisting that he is needed for this season's UEFA Champions League qualifying games.

The defender has been linked with an array of Premiership clubs including Sunderland, Norwich, Arsenal and Spurs.

And while McGarvey understands why Celtic do not wish to cash in on the player, he believes it is a futile task trying to coerce him into staying if he wishes to be football elsewhere.

"First of all, I have to say I think Virgil van Dijk is a wonderful talent and in an ideal world Celtic wouldn't be selling anyone," he said. "I would like the manager, Ronny Deila, get the chance to build on the season he has just had.

"But if you have a player there who is not happy then you have to let him go. I wouldn't want to get rid of a guy with those talents lightly because he is a player that I expect to see at the very top level, but it becomes very hard if his heart isn't in it.

"You need to have players who are 100% focussed on the club and who want to run through a brick wall for you.- you'll never do that if your eye is on another club. Virgil is a massive talent. He is a great player who has shown class all over the pitch.

"He has the prospect of Champions League football with Celtic which to me should be a massive incentive to stay, but if he is so keen to go to another club then it gets very hard to keep him.

"The danger is that you have an unhappy player and one unhappy player soon starts to run off on everyone around him. I have seen it happen.

"If you don't want to be there, then you need to go. I am a great believer in that.

"I don't want to see any Celtic player leave the club. But if he has made it as clear as has been reported through the media that he wants to quit then Celtic need to get top dollar for him.

"He can go all the way to the top and the asking price has to reflect that."

Celtic will find out who awaits in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers this afternoon. It is the beginning of a long road which the Parkhead club hope will lead to the lucrative group stages of the prestigious tournament.

"I think they are ready and I think they are in a good place just now, but I would like to see another striker in there. I'd like to see at least a forward brought in before there but I have to say that I do think they are in a far better place than they were this time 12 months ago."