Virgil van Dijk | OFFICIAL: Liverpool agree £75m fee (£70m upfront) with Southampton

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RobinLFC said:
If we hadn't acted the way we did with Keita, he wouldn't be joining us either way next summer, at least now we have tied up one of the hottest midfield prospects in Europe (according to most on the Caf since I haven't even seen that much of him). So there's nothing wrong with that strategy for me. I don't see what Coutinho leaving has to do with Keita by the way.

If you really think we refused to pay the necessary money for Van Dijk last summer, I suggest you revisit the whole saga since that's not even close to what happened.

We are still in the mix with United and Chelsea for 2nd, whether we're 2 points or 5 points off them. You can't account for late-game equalizer, just tough luck or a thousand other circumstances, whether it's with certain players or without them. We could very well be 8th right now even if Keita and Van Dijk had joined us in the summer, so all moot points. Same goes for our CL group - we topped it and that's all we could do, and has nothing to do with either Keita or Van Dijk.
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You could have signed the entire Fifa World XI and suffered consecutive relegations until you found yourselves up against Salford City in the Conference North if you suffered enough bad luck, but we're dealing in hypothetical bad luck. I fail to see the logic in arguing that you might be much worse off if your two record signings had been playing all season long.

My point regarding Coutinho was that your squad is stronger with him, and considering the money spent, should be stronger again with Keita and van Dijk. Take Coutinho out of the team, and there's another big hole that needs filling. Having all three together for the season means there isn't that hole. Your transfer business has meant that is unlikely to be the case because he looks as good as gone.

ShadesOfTomato said:
I'd rather wait a season for Keita than sign another Henderson or Can. Leipzig made it clear they wouldn't sell in the summer, so we got the next best deal for one of the most talented midfielders in Europe

As for VVD, we were willing to pay the money in the summer - it was just the case that Saints refused to budge after the Blackpool debacle. Again, rather him after a 6 month wait than Jonny Evans or Michael Keane in the summer.

Ultimately, we've managed to acquire one of the best midfielders and one of the best defenders in Europe. That's certainly not bonkers in most people's books.
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You should have had back-up choices in case either deal didn't happen, and back-up choices that were of a similar quality. Leipzig may well have played hardball and then Bayern swoop in, and Southampton might have just told you to feck off entirely.

Also, you haven't even signed players amongst the best midfielders or defenders in their respective leagues, never mind Europe.
 
A better investment would be Celtics young Kristoffer Ajer. Thats one that is already very good, but has the ability to become world class. VVD will probably never be world class.
 
Alex99 said:
You should have had back-up choices in case either deal didn't happen, and back-up choices that were of a similar quality. Leipzig may well have played hardball and then Bayern swoop in, and Southampton might have just told you to feck off entirely.

Also, you haven't even signed players amongst the best midfielders or defenders in their respective leagues, never mind Europe.
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But each deal did happen and we were able to secure our first choice.

Keita last season came second behind Lewandowski for Bundesliga player of the year. Voted for by players themselves. And VVD is quite clearly one of the premier defenders in England.
 
Acquire Me said:
A better investment would be Celtics young Kristoffer Ajer. Thats one that is already very good, but has the ability to become world class. VVD will probably never be world class.
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I think it's the fee for someone his age which is also baffling. He's 27 in a few months so Liverpool can't even argue they have paid a premium for potential. I think he's as good as he's going to get.

The fees for Pogba, Stones, Neymar etc were all ridiculous but there was a premium for the potential and longevity. In Pogba and Neymar case also marketability.

VVD is a world's best fee for a player that doesn't even come close.
 
The market is crazy but this deal is fecking bonkers. He’s a decent defender and that’s it, he’s not at the top of the game or world class by any means. He’s having a really mediocre season too (maybe because he’s unsettled?).


Liverpool are desperate for defenders though and he strengthens their team so I guess the fans don’t care. Klopp can atleast shut the feck up now can’t he, I remember when we signed Pogba and he started ranting, he’s just spunked £110m on Virgil V.Dijk and Oxlaide-Chamberlain...
 
TheReligion said:
I think it's the fee for someone his age which is also baffling. He's 27 in a few months so Liverpool can't even argue they have paid a premium for potential. I think he's as good as he's going to get.

The fees for Pogba, Stones, Neymar etc were all ridiculous but there was a premium for the potential and longevity. In Pogba and Neymar case also marketability.

VVD is a world's best fee for a player that doesn't even come close.
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Thats exacly what I am thinking. Liverpool fecked up by signing VVD for that price, a player who is not world class and does not have premium status. At the same time, they completely destroy the market.
 
Thecarrickfan_2016 said:
That's true, I've seen a lot of people compare Ferdinand with Van Dijk since last night.
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Yeah saw Carragher saying that yesterday, as he did when they signed Karius who was meant to become their De Gea. It doesn’t work like that and the comparison does Van Dijk no favours.
 
Got a feeling they're not gonna be taking the piss out of what we paid for Pogba for too much longer.
 
I'm just intrigued to see what happens when Liverpool realise that VVD can't do the job of four defenders and a goalkeeper.

VVD is solid centre back who will look to his left and see mediocrity, look to his right and see mediocrity and look behind him to find sheer incompetence.

And in Klopp, he has a manager who couldn't care less about protecting his defence and would sooner expose them in order to let his front four run free.
 
This is now a joint record transfer between PL clubs (with Lukaku, I think).
 
I have become a fan of Jurgen Klopp's transfer policy and the support he is getting from the board at Liverpool.

To reach the top beyond the virtues of top 4 and European qualification, a team willing to go the extra mile but spend in the right areas can be super effective. If this signing works out, no matter what the fee is, Klopp would finally have a base to built a defense on, which is their primary weakness.

City and Guardiola did the same. We could sit all day long and moan all about their spending, but they identified that the small delta in quality in a couple places was holding them back from building something special and gave that final push. The result is for everyone to see.

I think the modern day clubs and boards need to realize this and stop holding back a few millions if they have a credible manager who has their full trust. Be it Mourinho or Conte or anyone else.
 
They need more than one defender. If I was them I’d be trying to snap up Nathan Ake and Lucas Digne. As for a goalkeeper... why not Butland?

Butland
Clyne Matip v.Dijk Digne
Keita Can Coutinho
Salah Firmino Mane

Bring in Vardy to replace Sturridge and rotate him with Firmino and That looks like a title winning team to me.
 
Great addition for them. 2-3 more defenders, a proper gk and a DM and they'll have a great first XI.
 
Jaybomb said:
They need more than one defender. If I was them I’d be trying to snap up Nathan Ake and Lucas Digne. As for a goalkeeper... why not Butland?

Butland
Clyne Matip v.Dijk Digne
Keita Can Coutinho
Salah Firmino Mane

Bring in Vardy to replace Sturridge and rotate him with Firmino and That looks like a title winning team to me.
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Can and Coutinho will probably be gone by the start of next season. Clyne is going to struggle to get back in ahead of TAA and Gomez as well.
 
Klopper76 said:
Can and Coutinho will probably be gone by the start of next season. Clyne is going to struggle to get back in ahead of TAA and Gomez as well.
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Yeah they will need to keep both as they can’t afford to lose the depth and quality. Their bench is terrible.
 
Any bets on the next Saints player Liverpool will overpay? I hope it's Cedric so we can get some compensation.
 
Acquire Me said:
A better investment would be Celtics young Kristoffer Ajer. Thats one that is already very good, but has the ability to become world class. VVD will probably never be world class.
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Ajer is a midfielder though.
 
An overpayment of 25 - 40million in my view.

However, they are desperate for reinforcements in defence and of the 'realistic' signings that liverpool could make for a proven under-30 centre back, I can't think of many that would be better than VVD. Can't see it improving Liverpool's fortunes at the back though. Their issues come down to ciavbijg and organisation, something that Herr Klopp neglects
 
Acquire Me said:
Plays as a central defender now.
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With 4 games for Celtic this year and being out on loan last year (getting 16 games or so) I doubt he is ready to take the step up. Regardless of that, he's played as a midfielder for far longer than a cb, and he's built more to be a midfielder than a cb (for now).
 
Ødegaard said:
With 4 games for Celtic this year and being out on loan last year (getting 16 games or so) I doubt he is ready to take the step up. Regardless of that, he's played as a midfielder for far longer than a cb, and he's built more to be a midfielder than a cb (for now).
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I think he is a better investment than VVD regardless.
 
Mogli said:
I have become a fan of Jurgen Klopp's transfer policy and the support he is getting from the board at Liverpool.

To reach the top beyond the virtues of top 4 and European qualification, a team willing to go the extra mile but spend in the right areas can be super effective. If this signing works out, no matter what the fee is, Klopp would finally have a base to built a defense on, which is their primary weakness.

City and Guardiola did the same. We could sit all day long and moan all about their spending, but they identified that the small delta in quality in a couple places was holding them back from building something special and gave that final push. The result is for everyone to see.

I think the modern day clubs and boards need to realize this and stop holding back a few millions if they have a credible manager who has their full trust. Be it Mourinho or Conte or anyone else.
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Dont listen to what people say. One time we did this (because the player wasn't an optimal long term investment) and people want to use it to define our entire transfer dealings. What next? Complain that we let Fellaini leave over a couple ten thousand? We get bent over the barrel plenty on transfers and player extensions but some still want to paint the board to be stingy spenders.
 
They are showing insane ambition by paying 130M for two players, obviously our advantage seems to have vanished now. City, Chelsea and Liverpool have as much money as us, can’t deny it anymore.

Van Dijk is not only a greater reader of the game and a fine defender, he is also a great leader - something they are lacking entirely. Expensive yes, by all means, but who cares? Better to go all in instead of striking out on cheaper deals for worse players.

Van Dijk is the one we should have gotten instead of Lindelof, who in all honesty does nothing to warrant a potential reputation of being a great Man United-defender. We really, really need to invest heavily in both January and the summer.
 
their southampton 11 is half way there.

Clyne Lovren Van Dijk
Lallana Oxlade-Chamberlain Mane


wouldnt be surprised if they go for forster and romeu next. They can take walcott from us for free too.
 
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