Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino has hinted that Virgil van Dijk will be stripped of the captain's armband after claiming that he "was" one of the leaders.
The 26-year-old tried to force a move out of St Mary's in the summer by submitting a transfer request, with Liverpool heavily rumoured to be after the Dutchman's signature.
However, the Saints were unmoved and, come the closure of the window, Van Dijk remained at the south coast club.
The defender missed the majority of last season after suffering an ankle injury in January but came through unscathed in an Under-23s match on Monday night.
When asked whether Van Dijk could be selected for the weekend game at Crystal Palace, Pellegrino told Sky Sports News: "Virgil was training well, he played 90 mins the other day in the reserve game, but tomorrow we will decide.
"Hopefully he will be getting better every single week but I am happy with that because I think everybody right now is ready to be part of the team.
"For me the captain is something that the team may decide and is something that you have to deserve it rather than the manager give the charge to be a captain. Now when he is not playing you cannot give the captaincy to someone whose not playing but obviously Virgil is... was one of the leaders."
In Van Dijk's absence this season, Pellegrino's side have lost one, drawn two and won one in the Premier League to sit 13th in the table.
Giuseppe Labellarte
