Virgil van Dijk

[Dax777]

I have no idea why you think any of those moves are comparable transactions to VVD. You keep saying it but it isn't true. In order:

• Bonucci - Only wanted to move within Italy, took a cut rate deal to go to Milan. City and Chelsea both would've paid 60mm to get him last summer if he was available to them
• Keane - Four different loans over four years, plays two years at Burnley, moves with 10 months on his contract. Good player but no one thinks he is a top talent
• Rudiger - Played for Roma, attracted Chelsea interest. Was going to move earlier but suffered a knee injury, Chelsea was the only big club coming back for him afterwards
• Conti - Transferred from Atalanta to Milan, not remotely comparable to a transfer between PL clubs
• Lindelof - Benfica sold earlier in the summer to pay for their own moves and raise some cash, finances a total shambles. United were the only destination

Can folks stop repeating the "cut price" Bonnuci. He went for what he was worth. Saying City or Chelsea would have paid more is simply conjecture.

You seem to be trying to explain away everything. But there on likes the point. You can get fantastic quality for less than 45 million. I.e Practically everyone who moved.

That you all have explanations for why the prices were low is simply your conclusory positions. I'm just staying the facts.

Again I will repeat, no CB the whole of last season moved for over 45 million. Those are just the facts.

 

[Dax777]

Conti is a clutch for straws, not Even in the same bracket or position transferwise.

Just listing who moved. How each rates the player is up to them.

We all rate different players differently. Simply saying a bunch moved and none cost 50 million. I.e the old record. So I'm sorry there was no unusual inflation.

 

[Dax777]

I was going to respond to this but I think other posters have covered it. I'm sure when a top CB goes to a Premier League club he will cost a fortune, particularly if the transfer is between two Prem clubs. I don't know why some people are happy for us to spend pots of cash on attackers and midfielders but see us potentially undermine that by either not bothering buying defenders or if we do buy defenders, go for ones that don't come close to matching the quality we have in other areas of the team. You're only as strong as your weakest link and all that.

Rudiger? Or a CAB is only top when he cost 70 million.

Let's not forget, Dyke plays for Southampton! Yes I might personally rate him.highly. But he is still a Southampton defender. Unproven at the Apex of football.

He has no more Pedigree than Lindelof, Rudiger or Martinez.

But for the record, this is not the issue. Rather the point stands that there are few examples of this unusual inflation you spoke about.

Its mostly in the minds of those who want to justify a world record smashing fee for a Southampton defender.

I just don't fall on that category.

 

[domalino]

Well, nothing you said opposes my position.
1. I never said the market didn't get inflated. I said it didn't any more than usual.
2. And that no one moved for over 50 suggest there was no unusual inflation.
3. Lots of top CBs moved. And they didn't cost 50 or more. Not to suggest a player can't move for over 50 million. But that should be the exception, not the rule.
4. If the world best CB wanted to move from one top club to another, Perhaps!

But I'm.sorry Southampton is on no position to be demanding 20 million above the the world record price. That's just silly!

2 & 3 are simply wrong, and I'm not sure what you're trying to even reply to with 4.

And by the way the world record is £198m.

 

[Dax777]

2 & 3 are simply wrong, and I'm not sure what you're trying to even reply to with 4.

And by the way the world record is £198m.

2. Did any CB move for over 50 million? No. Not wrong

3. Bonnuci, Lindelof, Rudiger, Skrinnier, Sure all moved. Don't know what you are talking about.

4. Isn'tt answering anything. It is simply giving an explanation of the types of conditions that causes an unusual spike in cost.

5. The world record price for a CB is 50 million not 198. But nice try. There is a reason why only 1 of the top 25 moves is a defender. Because defeders don't cost as much as attacking players.

 

[domalino]

2. Did any CB move for over 50 million? No. Not wrong

3. Bonnuci, Lindelof, Rudiger, Skrinnier, Sure all moved. Don't know what you are talking about.

4. Isn'tt answering anything. It is simply giving an explanation of the types of conditions that causes an unusual spike in cost.

5. The world record price for a CB is 50 million not 198. But nice try. There is a reason why only 1 of the top 25 moves is a defender. Because defeders don't cost as much as attacking players.

The world record fee is 198,000,000. No one gives a fuck about the position except you, and it's beyond stupid.

None of those are elite centre backs, they just aren't. They're all good prospects, some have done well, some have not yet, but they weren't top level CB's with the exception of Bonucci who moved for 20m less than Chelsea offered purely for family reasons Juventus agreed to.

BTW Skriniar? Lol. I notice despite your hundreds of posts in the CB threads last summer you didn't mention him, which is so odd with him being an elite CB and you being the font of all footballing knowledge...

 

[Dribble]

It can be judged by KPI data, yes, as long as the values used are relevant to the transfer market itself, which they're ignoring. You don't allocate the same values across different sports for that reason.

Yes, but when variables are also factored in, the data is surprisingly accurate.

I have a couple of football agents as clients & have seen the performance data they have at their disposal, & the depth of detail is staggering.

However, human factors are harder to factor in like 'Will a player settle'? 'How would the desired player perform without the team mate/s who supplies the passes, or provides the running power, or knows how the player thinks, so to be in the right place, at the right time to receive the ball to score.'

These are the human factors that not even the most advanced AI can predict. This is where experience & know how come into play. Ultimately we have Pep, Txiki & a team of highly skilled & experienced professionals to limit our liabilities.

This is why I trust their judgement, as opposed to just relying on data or an experienced eye.

 

[Dax777]

The world record fee is 198,000,000. No one gives a fuck about the position except you, and it's beyond stupid.

None of those are elite centre backs, they just aren't. They're all good prospects, some have done well, some have not yet, but they weren't top level CB's with the exception of Bonucci who moved for 20m less than Chelsea offered purely for family reasons Juventus agreed to.

BTW Skriniar? Lol. I notice despite your hundreds of posts in the CB threads last summer you didn't mention him, which is so odd with him being an elite CB...

Lawd! Ok. Let's pretend you are right :)

 

[jay laruja]

If we're truly wanting to sign Van Dijk, it would be in the summer. All this talk of signing him in January is just a ploy to price Liverpool out.

 

[Father Paul]

Can folks stop repeating the "cut price" Bonnuci. He went for what he was worth. Saying City or Chelsea would have paid more is simply conjecture.

You seem to be trying to explain away everything. But there on likes the point. You can get fantastic quality for less than 45 million. I.e Practically everyone who moved.

That you all have explanations for why the prices were low is simply your conclusory positions. I'm just staying the facts.

Again I will repeat, no CB the whole of last season moved for over 45 million. Those are just the facts.

DOF
The thing that strikes me most about this list of yours is the genuine paucity of talent in the CB position internationally. When a player like Keane gets mentioned as a top class international defender I have a quiet laugh. Bonnuci is the only grade A performer here and would have gone for 60m if he had moved to the PL without doubt. I am not totally convinced about VVD but if Pep is then somebody just write out a blank cheque and let the DOF fill in the amount whatever it is.