• ! ! ! IMPORTANT MESSAGE ! ! !

    Discussions about police investigations

    In light of recent developments about a player from Premier League being arrested and until there is an official announcement, ALL users should refrain from discussing or speculating about situations around personal off-pitch matters related to any Arsenal player. This is to protect you and the forum.

    Users who disregard this reminder will be issued warnings and their posts will get deleted from public.

Virgil Van Dijk

Zazu

Active Member
If I can get VVD, I would happily let Chambers and even Gabs go. I don't even see a future for Chambers at Arsenal. The club should cash out on him.

I'd be keen to sign him as well, think he's a top CB.

I just cant envisage Wenger spending the money when we have a good few of his own projects at CB already and are desperately lacking a top forward and box to box CM.
 

bingobob

A-M’s Resident Hunskelper
Trusted ⭐

Country: Scotland
More rumours circulating today that we are interested. If our intention is to play three at the back then I can see us spending the money. Let's face it Mertesacker is all but done, or at least has a year to go. Koscielny will be 32 at the start of next season also and injuries I feel will begin to mount up. Makes sense that we move to secure the short and medium term while having Holding and Chambers in reserve for the medium to long term.
 

Deathstroke

The Terminator
More rumours circulating today that we are interested. If our intention is to play three at the back then I can see us spending the money. Let's face it Mertesacker is all but done, or at least has a year to go. Koscielny will be 32 at the start of next season also and injuries I feel will begin to mount up. Makes sense that we move to secure the short and medium term while having Holding and Chambers in reserve for the medium to long term.

Don't forget Bielik either, who has received plaudits during his loan spell at Brum. At this rate, Sheaf probably might not even get a look-in.

As things stand, our options would be:

Kos (best CB but getting on, injury issues)
Mustafi
Gabriel (maybe a rotation option at best)
Mert (past it, injury worries, crazy decision to extend his contract)
Holding
Chambers
Bielik

Longer-term, there might be a spot for VvD since only Mustafi can lay a claim to being first choice as Kos is eased out, leaving 3 youngsters to fight for 2 spots. But given the players we currently have and knowing Wenger, would we be looking to sign van Dijk this summer?

Would & should are of course different things entirely, with factors like rising transfer fee and the no: of other interested clubs coming into play.
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
In an ideal world, we sign a good CB, top CM and the best CF we can sign. But if VVD is that CB, you're looking at a potential of 150M being needed next summer for these 3 signings. VVD will go for 55Mish.
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
I'm not sure I buy the rumours though, 2 years ago this guy was worth 3M and we didn't pull the trigger, now he's wanted by City and Chelsea and is worth 50-60M.
 

Eduardo_da_Silva

Active Member
I have it on good authority we are seriously thinking about another centre back from croatia, and have been scouting him for some time. Im sure we wont match the price for VDV and will bring in some budget option and in my opinion there are players more important for our situation.
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
I have it on good authority we are seriously thinking about another centre back from croatia, and have been scouting him for some time. Im sure we wont match the price for VDV and will bring in some budget option and in my opinion there are players more important for our situation.
Who? I'm guessing we're always scouting talent in a place like Croatia.
 

BobP

Memri Fan
I have it on good authority we are seriously thinking about another centre back from croatia, and have been scouting him for some time. Im sure we wont match the price for VDV and will bring in some budget option and in my opinion there are players more important for our situation.

Benkovic?
 

Eduardo_da_Silva

Active Member
Eventhough I love Benkovic(if he gets rid of injury he has he will be a beast) and Jedvaj but neither of them.

This will sound like im ITK but got info directly from a player and was advised not to share it.

I honestly wasnt his biggest fan befor but he upped his game last year,he is tailormade for EPL and would be a nice addition.

What I dont understand about VDV transfer us that we could have had Hummels for much less and he is a similar type of defender.
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
Eventhough I love Benkovic(if he gets rid of injury he has he will be a beast) and Jedvaj but neither of them.

This will sound like im ITK but got info directly from a player and was advised not to share it.

I honestly wasnt his biggest fan befor but he upped his game last year,he is tailormade for EPL and would be a nice addition.

What I dont understand about VDV transfer us that we could have had Hummels for much less and he is a similar type of defender.

Does he still play in Croatia?
 

bingobob

A-M’s Resident Hunskelper
Trusted ⭐

Country: Scotland
I'm not sure I buy the rumours though, 2 years ago this guy was worth 3M and we didn't pull the trigger, now he's wanted by City and Chelsea and is worth 50-60M.
13m and he was worth more just coming from Scotland lowers the price which is why Celtic are looking huge money for Demebele. Cutting out the middle team.

@BobP there were links Simunovic could be going to Leicester approx 15m but he's now one of the main centre backs and can't see Brendan letting him go unless it's a stupid offer. After this tackle, the best I've seen in recent times I really want him to stay at Celtic.
 
Last edited:

Malky

Established Member
13m and he was worth more just coming from Scotland lowers the price which is why Celtic are looking huge money for Demebele. Cutting out the middle team.

@BobP there were links Simunovic could be going to Leicester approx 15m but he's now one of the main centre backs and can't see Brendan letting him go unless it's a stupid offer. After this tackle, the best I've seen in recent times I really want him to stay at Celtic.
As ****e as Rangers were and as good as Celtic played, that tackle was the highlight of the Old Firm game. ****ing immense, old skool tackle!!
 

bingobob

A-M’s Resident Hunskelper
Trusted ⭐

Country: Scotland
As ****e as Rangers were and as good as Celtic played, that tackle was the highlight of the Old Firm game. ****ing immense, old skool tackle!!
Well I'd say it was the five goals Celtic put past them and some of them were magnificent. But that tackle was outstanding.
 

Rex Stone

Long live the fighters
Trusted ⭐

Country: Wales
I'm not a fan of him honestly and I think the issues in our back 4 go further than the individual.

Average defenders can look a lot better in a good system, we need genuine flair and quality in attacking positions.
 

Impact

Established Member
Would happily pay £50 million for Virgil van Dijk.

Have to remember that the influx of money into the Premier League contributes to transfer free inflation.

And importantly, our stagnant recruitment policy means that we require top players (that often cost a premium) to complete our squad. Juventus, for example, can scour the market looking for value signings to strengthen their squad because when they need to, they put the money down e.g. Higuain at 80m.

Arsenal cannot build a competitive team at the top level simply relying on finding good value deals in the market. You need both.
 

Crocrodile

Active Member
So since you 've talked Croatian CBs...

We're not signing Croatian CB

Yep, not one of the mentioned is "Arsenal quality".
*this term looks comical as time goes by

Šimunović had a nasty injury that was treated really bad.
Multiple infections and didn 't even know if he was going to walk.
Wanted to quit football according to an interview in our newspapers.
He has to get back to form, but I think he is at best a backup.
Ceiling would probably be a starter in a mid-table Prem team.

Benković is a few years away.
Currently he is treating an undisclosed injury.
He has to be more positionally sound and not be over-aggressive.
Believe he has more potential than Šimunović due to no setbacks.
But he doesn 't strike me as a WC CB type.

Mitrović had a nice cameo in the NT.
However, he also seems as a guy who will be good, but not great.

Jedvaj is a RB and plays there, both in his club and also in the NT.
So smart, cool under pressure, was better at CB IMHO.
Thought he was going to be a real star, bossed CL teams for Dinamo.
Looks like he is stagnating, unfortunately.
Hopefully he can fulfill his potential.

All in all, there is no true WC talent at CB IMHO in Croatia.
These guys would be more bargain-buys.
Don 't get me wrong, these are all good players.
But they aren 't physical specimens or great at reading the game.

Honestly, Holding is probably equal to the mentioned CBs.
Even better probably.

Would happily pay £50 million for Virgil van Dijk.

Have to remember that the influx of money into the Premier League contributes to transfer free inflation.

And importantly, our stagnant recruitment policy means that we require top players (that often cost a premium) to complete our squad. Juventus, for example, can scour the market looking for value signings to strengthen their squad because when they need to, they put the money down e.g. Higuain at 80m.

Arsenal cannot build a competitive team at the top level simply relying on finding good value deals in the market. You need both.

Agreed completely.

The need is there, the money is also there.

Virgil Van Dijk would fit in as Campbell-type-of-enforcer.
Physically he would add a bit of an edge to a smaller defensive unit.

He also is young enough to be an Arsenal player for a long time.
IMHO these bigger types can play longer, because they are stronger.
They dominate the air, also intercept passes and make tackles.
I mean, Mertesacker could barely walk when he played.
But he still got his head to a lot of balls and cleared a lot of balls.

I 'm not sure we will go after him.
Because we 've spent a lot of money on Mustafi.
We still have Holding as the young prospect and Gabriel, the backup.
Koscielny should not be forgotten, too.
On paper, we 're better than we 've ever been under Wenger.
We 've already gotten Kolašinac, right?

The other reason is that the true problem is the team defense.
But that should be belabored in the Arsenal forum not here.

Virgil Van Dijk and Koscielny seem like a great CB pairing to me.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts+

Top Bottom