Virgil Van Dijk

[GDeep™]

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/11168396/Arsenal-target-Celtics-Virgil-van-Dijk-in-January-transfer-window-to-bolster-fragile-defence.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... fence.html</a>

According to Jeremy Wilson here, a late attempt was made to sign Van Dijk in the sumner and we could be making a fresh bid in January.

Seen him in highlights mainly and he's a good footballer, good physicality, potential type. I know there are one or two on here who reckon he's horrendous.

Looks possible to me, Celtic can't refuse good money, aren't in Europe etc, and I think he's the type of guy Wenger would like.

 

[spartandre217]

Heard about this as well, wouldn't be surprised to see us go cheap on the CB and going high on the CDM.

But knowing Wenger, we'll get this guy and Adrian Rabiot for a total of 10m and we done.

 

[Rex Stone]

I'd take van Dijk, a lot of people I know aren't big on him at all but he's reasonably young so he'd have good resale value if he didn't improve much here, also he'd be our backup for now anyway. Him and Rabiot would go a long way to solving our problems imo.

 

[tap-in]

I'd take van Dijk, a lot of people I know aren't big on him at all but he's reasonably young so he'd have good resale value if he didn't improve much here, also he'd be our backup for now anyway. Him and Rabiot would go a long way to solving our problems imo.

I agree, Rabiot would be a great signing, I'm really not bothered about Khedira, he'll probably join Utd anyway.

 

[GDeep™]

Don't see how Rabiot would be a great signing. One for the future maybe, but we need immediate performances.

Schneiderlin would be a great signing, he'll improve us straight away.

 

[ScotVieira]

I watch a bit of Scottish football and I don't think this guy will cut it with us TBH. He is decent enough and looks skillful but I don't believe he's quite up to Arsenal level at all in a defensive position. The pace and intensity of the PL will be too much for him to handle at the moment.

He might get better with time though.

 

[Penn_]

Get in, another budget buy potential player that won't be anything like what we need. Who cares about age and quality when you have resale value.

 

[Rex Stone]

Get in, another budget buy potential player that won't be anything like what we need. Who cares about age and quality when you have resale value.

Yeah but unless we're looking for someone to bench Per or Kos then what are we looking for? We're not going to go out and drop big money on Varane or Hummels and tell them they'll be on our bench.

I'd much rather a rotation option so we can spend big money on a midfielder.

 

[clockwork orange]

Not sure about van Dijk. Impressive size, but don't know how good he really is.

What really annoyed me lately is that I heard last window we were looking for someone who could play CD and DMF. There are so few players who can do this at a good enough level, that this means we were very unlikely to sign a CD or a DMF. We should have looked for 2 players not for 1 hybrid.

 

[Penn_]

Get in, another budget buy potential player that won't be anything like what we need. Who cares about age and quality when you have resale value.

Yeah but unless we're looking for someone to bench Per or Kos then what are we looking for? We're not going to go out and drop big money on Varane or Hummels and tell them they'll be on our bench.

I'd much rather a rotation option so we can spend big money on a midfielder.

We spent big money on attack when we had plenty of options, I know what to see that same ambition in defence. Neither Koscienly or Per are undroppable. Mertesacker has looked a mess this season and Koscienly has been playing through pain for months.

If signed someone with the quality of Varane or Hummels they won't be starting on the bench.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Van Dijk tbf, does seem like someone who could actually play DMF, has a lot of the right attributes. Exceptional on the ball, good passer, strong and quite quick.

I doubt we'd sign him to use him as our DM though, that'd be just as much as an experiment as Chambers or Diaby playing there and we might as well try them first before signing someone else on the basis of converting them.

 

[Rex Stone]

Get in, another budget buy potential player that won't be anything like what we need. Who cares about age and quality when you have resale value.

Yeah but unless we're looking for someone to bench Per or Kos then what are we looking for? We're not going to go out and drop big money on Varane or Hummels and tell them they'll be on our bench.

I'd much rather a rotation option so we can spend big money on a midfielder.

We spent big money on attack when we had plenty of options, I know what to see that same ambition in defence. Neither Koscienly or Per are undroppable. Mertesacker has looked a mess this season and Koscienly has been playing through pain for months.

If signed someone with the quality of Varane or Hummels they won't be starting on the bench.

Yeah but look at the economics of it, both of our CBs have recently signed new contracts, buying an expensive new one would just leave us with the same situation we had with Vermaelen.

 

[GDeep™]

A third quality CB is a must when you consider the restrictions of a Per type, the injury issue Kos has, and the fact we ran those two into the ground last season and were lucky they didn't break down.

Papers are linking us with Hummels today.

 

[Penn_]

Yeah but look at the economics of it, both of our CBs have recently signed new contracts, buying an expensive new one would just leave us with the same situation we had with Vermaelen.

Koscielny has a serious achilles problem, I wouldn't be surprised if he requires surgery but we just can't afford to lose him. Mertesacker can be very hit and miss, especially against the bigger teams. Vermaelen couldn't get in the team because he was repeatedly injured and always full of mistakes. Wenger lost faith in him and when there was a chance for him to take he wasn't around to grasp it.

Economics of Per/Kos contracts don't come into the equation, can't keep neglecting the defence.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Any Decent backup CB would be very welcome now we can think about quality CB who can bench one of Kosh or Mertesacker next summer.

Van Djik i know nothing about him but he what worry me is Holland need decent CB's for their national team but why Van Djik not has been called up? he is 23 years old.

 

[bingobob]

Van Dijk is a good choice for 3rd or 4th choice. He has the qualities for us but still needs to develop. Wanyama when he left would have fitted into any tip team and not looked out of place in contrast Van Dijk will but he will grow into a top player if he moves soon. But he needs to move soon or he will struggle to go upto the required level. It might be different if Celtic were in the CL with their team of old but that isn't the case he is surrounded by donkeys at presenti.

He was also called up for Holland recently in September but was out injured so didn't get called up for the most recent qualifiers

 

[bingobob]

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/30/football-transfer-rumours-arsenal-lichtsteiner-van-dijk?CMP=twt_gu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... CMP=twt_gu</a>

 

[Hunta]

I'm giving up football if we sign him, shows you the ambition we have.

He's Villa standard.

 

[Jasard]

I'm giving up football if we sign him, shows you the ambition we have.

He's Villa standard.

I think that every time I see Flamini and Arteta start for us.

 

[bingobob]

I'm giving up football if we sign him, shows you the ambition we have.

He's Villa standard.

He isnt. Id say Everton are a good match, but he has that potential to develop into a top player he just needs to move soon.

He is a decent option for us.