Virgil van Dijk

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cjn said:
Marti Perarnau strongly hinted on a recent 93:20 pod that we would go after Van Dijk as well. Hope so, he'd be a fantastic addition.
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Yep I noted that too and he should know.

VVD either out of form or uninterested at the moment but form is temporary. He's a really good player who I think Pep would improve quickly. The money is the problem and perhaps his strange desire to go to Liverpool. If Pep picks up the phone that could change quickly.

Pep "A center half...we are going to try"

Hoping the Evans ship has sailed but if Pep sees something in him...

I Don't buy it has to be a back up and a top player will insist he plays all the time (see Aguero v Jesus)
 
Van Dijk is just in a team that is flat and is happy being on the back foot. If Pep can get van Dijk's form back to his Celtic years when he really did had more free roam both defensively and in attack he can be a great ball playing defender. Only glimpses of his former self in this league which makes me believe he is following orders to keep it simple and not break ranks.

 
Cobwebcat said:
I Don't buy it has to be a back up and a top player will insist he plays all the time (see Aguero v Jesus)
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Agreed and I hope it won't be a backup. With the amount of games we play and the amount of games we would play in a three at the back formation if we had the players to do so being third choice centerback on this team is hardly even a reserve role.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
Sometimes black and white is best.

Gonna be a few disappointed blue care bears next month, based on some of the expectations.

It's hedging by the way ;)
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Agree about vvd no chance we will be spending anything over 50m for him and Southampton won’t sell for that. Evens probably the main target.
 
cjn said:
Agreed and I hope it won't be a backup. With the amount of games we play and the amount of games we would play in a three at the back formation if we had the players to do so being third choice centerback on this team is hardly even a reserve role.
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Exactly
 
Wonderful footballer but my word is he going to be expensive.

He may not even be a regular player for us yet will likely end up being our record signing.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
Nope. City consider VVD incredibly overpriced once the bidding went past £45m.

Evans also remains on the radar.

Same goes for Can. Txiki likes him as a player but we were never at the table and no approach has been made, regardless of what the Italian media has stated.
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The market exploded at the end of the market. Guardiola seems to favour him. We only wanted one defender in the summer, we'll need two by this summer.

Personally, edging my bets with Sam, Jack Gaughan and Marti's hint on the podcast.
 
One very positive thing about him is that he's comfortable playing either side, so like Otamendi he can play on the left or right. Stones and Kompany look far more uncomfortable when on the right, so having van Dijk would presumably allow greater rotation. He does remind me of Kompany, in a way, in that his reading of the game is so good that he positions himself well and is generally facing the ball when it is played forward. That often gives him an edge over the attacker and allows him to intercept. However, I've yet to see any evidence of blistering pace over a longer distance.

Irrespective of the expense, the management have decided Kompany is unreliable and Mangala is dispensable, so the fear of Stones breaking down again will surely force us to act.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
Nope. City consider VVD incredibly overpriced once the bidding went past £45m.

Evans also remains on the radar.

Same goes for Can. Txiki likes him as a player but we were never at the table and no approach has been made, regardless of what the Italian media has stated.
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Thank God! I know I was the party pooper all summer about the spending, but Christ! 70 mil for a Virgil. Jeez!

For 45
We should be able to get one of:
Kalidou Koulibally (best option)
Milan Skriniar (best young prospect)
Stefan Dr Vrij
Matthias Ginter

At least 1 if not all of them will cost less than 45 million.

#70millionstupid
 
I don't think the market will be anywhere near as silly as the summer's was, transfer fee wise.

However, given Van Dijk is a target of Liverpool too and they are ridiculously desperate for some kind of defender the bidding for him would escalate to those silly levels with that lot willing to pay a king's ransom I suspect.

Just to say as well, nope to Jonny Evans.
 
Silva_Spell said:
He had nothing to do. It was Swansea
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And he was playing and getting thumped by Leicester not a current top 6 team. Whilst Mangala looked OK when he came on against the rags!
Why pay silly money to get a player who is not an upgrade on what you have?
 
Blue Llama said:
And he was playing and getting thumped by Leicester not a current top 6 team. Whilst Mangala looked OK when he came on against the rags!
Why pay silly money to get a player who is not an upgrade on what you have?
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VVD is quality. He doesn't want to be there.

Same as Sanchez
 
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