Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger said that former defender Virgil van Dijk’s prolonged move to Liverpool left a ‘cloud’ over his club to start the season.
van Dijk secured a £75m move to Merseyside last week after first handing in his official transfer request to the club in August.
The Netherlands defender signed a new six-year contract in 2016 but was understood to have sought a move to Liverpool during the 2016-17 season.
Southampton asked the Premier League in June to investigate an alleged illegal approach by Liverpool, which was then followed by an official apology with an accompanying statement where the club declared that they had withdrawn their interest in the player.
Krueger said that the entire situation created a cloud over the club where they had allowed a certain negativity seep into a ‘very fragile environment’.
“Emotionally, it threw us off balance and financially it was a huge business risk,” Krueger told BBC Radio Solent.
“To make a stand and principle like that creates an earthquake. In no way shape or form am I angry at any one individual for what has happened here in the past months.
“It was under the shadow of a stand and principle. That chapter closes now. The cloud was there, we allowed a certain negativity into our very fragile environment, which is based on positivity, creativity, unity and looking at solutions.
“I believe we can truly get back to that now.”
Southampton have won just one of their last seven games and currently sit just two points above the relegation zone in 15th place.
