There's quite a bit of interesting information in this piece from Paul Joyce (Liverpool ITK) :
There is an irony that among Jürgen Klopp’s first public comments on the signing of Virgil van Dijk was a plea for Liverpool supporters to forget the price tag of almost £75 million, making him the most expensive defender in the world.
After all, that was the same advice Anfield’s powerbrokers have been offering Klopp throughout the lengthy, at times complex, pursuit of the centre back. This is not normally how the Liverpool manager likes to do business. Throughout Klopp’s managerial career he has sided with nurture over nature, the idea that developing talent can be as useful as going out and buying ready-made solutions.
The deal for Van Dijk, 26, is new ground for Liverpool, obliterating their transfer record, which stood at the £36.9 million paid for Mohamed Salah in the summer (the £55 million Naby Keïta does not arrive from RB Leipzig until July 1), but the size of the transfer also represents new territory for Klopp.
There were occasions during the pursuit of Van Dijk when Mike Gordon, the president of Liverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), and Michael Edwards, the sporting director, sought to offer context to allay any lingering misgivings Klopp had that they were being asked to pay too much.
The 6ft 4in Van Dijk has always been Klopp’s No 1 defensive target, and his delight at finally landing the player was clear around Melwood yesterday. There have never been any doubts about the quality of the player.
Simply, the adjustment to the money-obsessed world of the Premier League has not always been an easy one for the man at the helm, whose biggest outlay at Borussia Dortmund was the €27.5 million (about £24.5 million) paid to prise Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013.
“I can imagine people will think, ‘Wow, what a number it is,’ but for me it is not really interesting,” Klopp said. “We do not make the price, the market makes the price and the first thing all Liverpool supporters should forget quite soon is the price. We only talk about the player and what he brings — his qualities, mentality and character.”
At first glance the figure — £70 million guaranteed and £4 million in add-ons — that has brought Van Dijk to Anfield feels outlandish.
Yet realism needs to be applied. Van Dijk had four and a half years left on his deal at Southampton, whose position was further strengthened by the knowledge he was wanted by Chelsea as far back as January, while Manchester City were especially keen, having recently contacted officials at St Mary’s, and Arsenal remained in the background.
Supply and demand also raised the price. Pep Guardiola, the City manager, had targeted Aymeric Laporte when he took over and the Athletic Bilbao defender had a £58 million buyout clause to be settled in one payment. Antonio Conte tried to sign Kalidou Koulibaly upon arrival at Chelsea, but Napoli rebuffed a £58 million bid.
Gordon will have received the background information on Van Dijk — as well as the price of the available alternatives — which he relayed to the rest of FSG, including John W Henry, the principal owner, and Tom Werner, the Liverpool chairman.
Of course, the crucial factor in the signing of Van Dijk was how Liverpool repaired the relationship with Southampton after June’s spat when they were accused of tapping up the player.
It was Gordon who, having told Liverpool to publicly pull out of the race for fear of a Premier League charge, started building bridges with Ralph Krueger, the Southampton chairman.
Liverpool did not bid officially during the summer, but reiterated they would pay whatever it took if Southampton were prepared to sell. That pledge was in place on the final day of the August transfer window. A phone call from St Mary’s would have set the ball rolling.
In recent weeks, contact was re-established, with Liverpool insistent that Van Dijk was their No 1 choice but that they would buy a defender next month regardless and had other targets. The back-up plan was not needed.
By Christmas, Van Dijk’s performances did not warrant a place in Mauricio Pellegrino’s line-up, while Southampton’s tailspin meant hanging on to a £70 million player who was no longer much of an asset did not make sense. Not when £70 million — if spent correctly next month — could steady fortunes in the face of a possible fraught fight for Premier League survival. Southampton’s decision belatedly to name a price was an invitation to the negotiating table that Liverpool were not about to pass up. They quickly showed the colour of their money.
Andy Massey, the Liverpool club doctor, oversaw the medical on Wednesday at Nuffield Hospital in Bournemouth. It was then that Klopp finally had his man and, the more he reflects on the deal, the surer he is that Van Dijk will not leave Liverpool short-changed.
There is an irony that among Jürgen Klopp’s first public comments on the signing of Virgil van Dijk was a plea for Liverpool supporters to forget the price tag of almost £75 million, making him the most expensive defender in the world.
After all, that was the same advice Anfield’s powerbrokers have been offering Klopp throughout the lengthy, at times complex, pursuit of the centre back. This is not normally how the Liverpool manager likes to do business. Throughout Klopp’s managerial career he has sided with nurture over nature, the idea that developing talent can be as useful as going out and buying ready-made solutions.
The deal for Van Dijk, 26, is new ground for Liverpool, obliterating their transfer record, which stood at the £36.9 million paid for Mohamed Salah in the summer (the £55 million Naby Keïta does not arrive from RB Leipzig until July 1), but the size of the transfer also represents new territory for Klopp.
There were occasions during the pursuit of Van Dijk when Mike Gordon, the president of Liverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), and Michael Edwards, the sporting director, sought to offer context to allay any lingering misgivings Klopp had that they were being asked to pay too much.
The 6ft 4in Van Dijk has always been Klopp’s No 1 defensive target, and his delight at finally landing the player was clear around Melwood yesterday. There have never been any doubts about the quality of the player.
Simply, the adjustment to the money-obsessed world of the Premier League has not always been an easy one for the man at the helm, whose biggest outlay at Borussia Dortmund was the €27.5 million (about £24.5 million) paid to prise Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013.
“I can imagine people will think, ‘Wow, what a number it is,’ but for me it is not really interesting,” Klopp said. “We do not make the price, the market makes the price and the first thing all Liverpool supporters should forget quite soon is the price. We only talk about the player and what he brings — his qualities, mentality and character.”
At first glance the figure — £70 million guaranteed and £4 million in add-ons — that has brought Van Dijk to Anfield feels outlandish.
Yet realism needs to be applied. Van Dijk had four and a half years left on his deal at Southampton, whose position was further strengthened by the knowledge he was wanted by Chelsea as far back as January, while Manchester City were especially keen, having recently contacted officials at St Mary’s, and Arsenal remained in the background.
Supply and demand also raised the price. Pep Guardiola, the City manager, had targeted Aymeric Laporte when he took over and the Athletic Bilbao defender had a £58 million buyout clause to be settled in one payment. Antonio Conte tried to sign Kalidou Koulibaly upon arrival at Chelsea, but Napoli rebuffed a £58 million bid.
Gordon will have received the background information on Van Dijk — as well as the price of the available alternatives — which he relayed to the rest of FSG, including John W Henry, the principal owner, and Tom Werner, the Liverpool chairman.
Of course, the crucial factor in the signing of Van Dijk was how Liverpool repaired the relationship with Southampton after June’s spat when they were accused of tapping up the player.
It was Gordon who, having told Liverpool to publicly pull out of the race for fear of a Premier League charge, started building bridges with Ralph Krueger, the Southampton chairman.
Liverpool did not bid officially during the summer, but reiterated they would pay whatever it took if Southampton were prepared to sell. That pledge was in place on the final day of the August transfer window. A phone call from St Mary’s would have set the ball rolling.
In recent weeks, contact was re-established, with Liverpool insistent that Van Dijk was their No 1 choice but that they would buy a defender next month regardless and had other targets. The back-up plan was not needed.
By Christmas, Van Dijk’s performances did not warrant a place in Mauricio Pellegrino’s line-up, while Southampton’s tailspin meant hanging on to a £70 million player who was no longer much of an asset did not make sense. Not when £70 million — if spent correctly next month — could steady fortunes in the face of a possible fraught fight for Premier League survival. Southampton’s decision belatedly to name a price was an invitation to the negotiating table that Liverpool were not about to pass up. They quickly showed the colour of their money.
Andy Massey, the Liverpool club doctor, oversaw the medical on Wednesday at Nuffield Hospital in Bournemouth. It was then that Klopp finally had his man and, the more he reflects on the deal, the surer he is that Van Dijk will not leave Liverpool short-changed.
