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

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Media rumours are City are interested in Van Dijk in Jan.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.ma...news/man-city-transfers-van-dijk-14069852.amp

We have a "variety" of centre halves - some pretty good (Bailly), some ok (Jones, Rojo, Lindelof ... who's slowly improving?) and some .... not so good (you know who you are 'Mr pass back').

Should we be making a bid for him and if not, is there someone else or do we stick with what we've got (please God no).

All opinions welcomed in the spirit of Christmas ..... unless you're pro-Smalling.
 
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Hawks2008

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For the extortionate amount Southampton want I'll pass. 60-70m is a big part of our transfer budget, spending that much for a player in position we're well stocked in instead of filling glaring holes we have would be poor business.
 

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We're not going to sign another CB unless two of the existing lot go in my opinion - and I don't think Jose is interested in another CB at this moment in time. We're at our squad cap so have to sell before we buy anyway and the priority seems to be a leftback, a midfielder and a couple of attacking players.
 

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If we have the money for others as well then yes. He’s a class above what we have (when he turns up)
 

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We'd be silly to spend big on an area we don't need anyone. Of all the gaping holes in the team, why improve the one area we seem to do alright in?
 

OnlyTwoDaSilvas

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Said the same about Johnny Evans and the ludicrous suggestion of David Luiz. We have 6 Centre backs. 7 if you include Blind as an option. So let's include Blind. We will definitely not be adding an 8th centre back in January.

January is for desperation. If you absolutely need to buy, you buy. Full back, centre mid and right wing would be considered desperation for us. You don't buy an 8th centre back in January.
 

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Van Dijk is decent but why is he being hyped up to be this world-class CB all of a sudden? Somebody the other day even said on here Liverpool should be all out for him the next window as he’d completely fix their defensive problems. :rolleyes:

United are fine at CB, Bailey and Lindelof it would seem both have great potential, Jones is very good when fit, Rojo and Smalling are amongst the best backups around and then there’s Tuanzebe and Fosu-Mensah coming through behind them.

Far more pressing issues to be blowing £60m on.
 
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For the extortionate amount Southampton want I'll pass. 60-70m is a big part of our transfer budget, spending that much for a player in position we're well stocked in instead of filling glaring holes we have would be poor business.
Maybe (though £60m today seems to be £8.40 from a couple of years ago?)

I'm not saying he's cheap OR that we don't need other players too, just is he an upgrade and would he add some stability to the back line?
 
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Van Dijk is decent but why is he being hyped up to be this world-class CB all of a sudden? Somebody the other day even said on here Liverpool should be all out for him the next window as he’d completely fix their defensive problems. :rolleyes:

United are fine at CB, Bailey and Lindelof it would seem both have great potential, Jones is very good when fit, Rojo and Smalling are amongst the best backups around and then there’s Tuanzebe and Fosu-Mensah coming through behind them.

Far more pressing issues to be blowing £60m on.
Raiding an old peoples home would be an upgrade to Liverpool's defence.
 

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Not for me. Cost too much in a position we are already stacked in. If we could move a couple on maybe but I honestly think he's overrated. Anyway I am pro Smalling so will keep out ;)
 

AndyJ1985

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Yes great idea to spend a large slice of our transfer budget on another defender to add to our already large list of defenders.
 

Hawks2008

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, just is he an upgrade and would he add some stability to the back line?
For sure, he's probably the best CB in the league not playing for a top 6 team so if we moved on a couple of defenders he'd be a decent addition. But as I said, the CB position is probably the least of our concerns.
 
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Not for me. Cost too much in a position we are already stacked in. If we could move a couple on maybe but I honestly think he's overrated. Anyway I am pro Smalling so will keep out ;)
It's all about opinions.... be boring if we all thought the same?

I'm fine with moving on a couple.... but would be hard I know (tbh, thread partly driven by desire to ask if we wanted to "pick up vd" as much as anything else). :D
 
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Yes great idea to spend a large slice of our transfer budget on another defender to add to our already large list of defenders.
Just a question .... no need to be Mr Sarky :nono:. Presume you know our budget then?

Note OP does not say we haven't got ENOUGH defenders just maybe not enough DECENT defenders. Name a title winning side with average defenders.... Leicester is the exception?

Ho ho ho....
For sure, he's probably the best CB in the league not playing for a top 6 team so if we moved on a couple of defenders he'd be a decent addition. But as I said, the CB position is probably the least of our concerns.
A nice polite reply with a rationale.... thanks. (Manners cost nothing eh?)
 

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No, it's not a priority to improve CB. We have got several players to buy for other positions first, and we don't have unlimited money.
 

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Would be madness to sign him, absolutely don’t need another defender.

As for the criticism of Smalling from the OP, way over the top, he’s currently playing well and deserves to be in the team.
 

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"Mr pass back" is a better defender than VVD in my opinion, why do people have to slate our own players so they can wank on VVD??
This guy is definitely not worth the 60-70m to us, better on the ball than Smalling but whenever I've seen him play there is a mistake in him.
 
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"Mr pass back" is a better defender than VVD in my opinion, why do people have to slate our own players so they can wank on VVD??

This guy is definitely not worth the 60-70m to us, better on the ball than Smalling but whenever I've seen him play there is a mistake in him.
What slating? I may not think Smalling is quality but where's the negative comments (or are you talking about the Caf in general?)

And I definitely don't do that on VVD.... That's libel! Read OP again.... I make no comment about VVD ability at all? (or again, are you talking about the Caf in general?)

As for the second part of your post, that's great, a rationalised opinion... thought that's what the Caf was for? As I mentioned, being able to say "pick up vd" was my main driver for thread .... and a little discussion.

Fwiw, I think Smalling would be ok if he was a little more positive and took a step forward/made an easy pass - I think his choices may be driven by Jose's "don't lose" mentality. Also fwiw, I think VVD is decent, maybe a slight step up on some of our CHs and probably not worth £60m+. If Bailly was fit and Lindelof keeps up with steady improvements, that'd be a good basis
 

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What slating? I may not think Smalling is quality but where's the negative comments (or are you talking about the Caf in general?)

And I definitely don't do that on VVD.... That's libel! Read OP again.... I make no comment about VVD ability at all? (or again, are you talking about the Caf in general?)

As for the second part of your post, that's great, a rationalised opinion... thought that's what the Caf was for? As I mentioned, being able to say "pick up vd" was my main driver for thread .... and a little discussion.

Fwiw, I think Smalling would be ok if he was a little more positive and took a step forward/made an easy pass - I think his choices may be driven by Jose's "don't lose" mentality. Also fwiw, I think VVD is decent, maybe a slight step up on some of our CHs and probably not worth £60m+. If Bailly was fit and Lindelof keeps up with steady improvements, that'd be a good basis
When you refer to our best CB for the last two months as "Mr pass back" while aluding we should make a move for VVD what is that? Some weird way to praise a very good servant to our club?

Look we all know that Smalling isn't as good as VVD on the ball, and you never mentioned that but I rationally interpreted it, since it's the only part of the game where VVD is superior than Smalling. But ironic jibes about Smalling and how he is "Mr pass back" are very premature, CB are there to defend and Smalling is a better defender than VVD. The guy might be worth 70m to City but he isn't to us, since we have very good CBs and we have other priorities.
 

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He's horribly overrated. Struggles with pace and gets caught under a lot of crosses - His international career is a huge red flag for anyone thinking he's going to make the step up on the European stage. A highlight reel defender.

That said - City defenders barely have to defend such is their dominance of games so he'll probably go there and continue to get praise until they meet a Bayern or Barcelona.
 
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When you refer to our best CB for the last two months as "Mr pass back" while aluding we should make a move for VVD what is that? Some weird way to praise a very good servant to our club?

Look we all know that Smalling isn't as good as VVD on the ball, and you never mentioned that but I rationally interpreted it, since it's the only part of the game where VVD is superior than Smalling. But ironic jibes about Smalling and how he is "Mr pass back" are very premature, CB are there to defend and Smalling is a better defender than VVD. The guy might be worth 70m to City but he isn't to us, since we have very good CBs and we have other priorities.
Be wary about making grand statements about what other posters apparently think or what they think is ironic or not, other posters may take more umbrage than me. You even go on to say "you never mentioned..... but". Write about the topic not your Holmesian deductions.

As for alluding to anything, quote me where I say we should buy VVD. And as for being immature (not premature.... despite the rumours), yes I am but not in this thread.

Other than that, spot on. :)
 

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Be wary about making grand statements about what other posters apparently think or what they think is ironic or not, other posters may take more umbrage than me. You even go on to say "you never mentioned..... but". Write about the topic not your Holmesian deductions.

As for alluding to anything, quote me where I say we should buy VVD. And as for being immature (not premature.... despite the rumours), yes I am but not in this thread.

Other than that, spot on. :)
Okey...
 
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