Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino has revealed that he hopes to sign at least two new players using the money the club will receive from Virgil van Dijk's move to Liverpool.

Van Dijk has agreed a £75m switch to the Reds which will go through once the transfer window opens on January 1, making the Dutchman the most expensive defender and January signing in football history.

Pellegrino had previously spoken of his desire to keep Van Dijk at the club, but he claims that the centre-back's exit could be a positive thing for the Saints if they reinvest the money wisely.

"I would like to bring in a couple of players minimum and we have to work for this. We have been talking about the couple of targets that we've got. Maybe we change one player for two players or three players with this money and this has to be the positive target," he told reporters.

"We have to analyse this situation and this is good personally for him and will be positive if we reinvest in our good targets for the future. Sometimes at this level, Southampton is impossible to bring in players for £80m or £50m but maybe for us that can mean in the future a couple of good players.

"The question of whether the sale is a good deal is more for our board, but from outside of the business plan I think so. Now the deal is done and will be positive for the club and Virgil and we can reinvest this money in our squad to try to be stronger and this is everything.

"We have got our targets and have to look forward to pushing on and trying to improve our squad. Now the Virgil deal is done, my best wishes for him, but it has to be a positive impact to reinvest, a good decision for the future."

Southampton are back in action again on Saturday when they take on Manchester United at Old Trafford.