Are you ok with what it would cost to land Virgil Van Dyke?

[tlw content 12,229]

Southampton's Virgil Van Dijk has uttered the six worst words in the English language (© Bill Kenwright) and told City and Chelsea “I want to play for Liverpool”. A reported salary of 200k a week has been agreed and all that remains is for the Reds to strike a deal with Southampton, who are holding out for a fee of up to £60m. So, is it too much, or does it not matter?

 

 

Obviously there remains some way to go but I'll be made up if this deal comes off as it addresses so many concerns directly: we don't spend big on both wages and fee; we don't take players other big clubs want; we don't get our number one targets; we lack a dominant centre half who suits our game. 
 
Virgil Van Dijk is a top class player without a weakness in his game: pace, aggression, strength, aerial ability, good on the ball - he's got the lot. I know the line is "one player doesn't change a defence" but a fully fit VVD with Hendo in the side ahead of him takes the pressure right off the full backs to be so relentlessly up and down as they can plug those gaps that have been our Achilles heel this season. 
 
That all said, the prospective fee is such that I don't think we could've quibbled if the club had backed out. However, assuming it gets done, this deal is arguably the biggest statement of intent the club has ever made as it would smash our record fee at a time when we are way below the standing in the game we had when we did it repeatedly in the 70s and 80s. 
 
It also represents a huge backing of the manager and his judgement as well as showing that Michael Edwards is climbing/being shoved out of the shadows and putting his neck on the block as he should. 
And besides, The Mancs paid £30m for Rio Ferdinand over a decade ago which seemed insane at the time until it dawned on me one day that he was one of the best defenders in the world with an array of medals to prove it. 
 
Assuming we get this deal done (and the ones for Salah and Keita too) the best element of it for me is that it shuts down all the excuses as a club and puts the manager in a position to deliver trophies. He then needs to do so. 
 
I really hope this comes off. I know I'm a fool for getting way ahead of things, but the idea of a Liverpool side markedly strengthened by VVD, Salah, Keita and a new left back, marauding all over teams in that boss new blood Red kit is pretty tantalising. 
 
So get it done Reds - with one proviso: no-one is allowed to give him the shit nickname "Dick".
 

Paul Natton

@OxtonSoulBoy

 
 

 
If nothing else, it’s a massive statement of intent from both the manager and the owners that we mean business this summer. I know we are working in an inflated market and I know we have a sell on clause to contend with, but the money we are talking about here is absolutely crazy. For any centre half. 
 
That’s not to say that I don’t rate Van Dijk because I do, I think he’s a really good defender. He’s quick, he’s tidy on the ball, strong in the air, chips in with goals and he marshals his team mates well – something we have been missing since Carra retired. 
 
There are plenty of positives to signing him, even spending £50m plus means that we are backing the manager and have seen off our more wealthy rivals who have trumped us in the past on several occasions. But I think at that kind of money we need to be saying “thanks but no thanks” and putting our scouts to use elsewhere.
 
I am one of the Americans’ biggest critics for not spending money on transfers and I can’t level that at them here. But it is a lack of smarts from the club – van Dijk could have been signed for just £13m. We are reactive in the market instead of proactive. 
 
I am also concerned that we are dropping this money on a player who hasn’t played since January. I know he got done in a tackle by that chav Vardy but that’s a long lay-off. That’s largely a secondary concern though as he generally doesn’t miss many matches judging by his past record. 
 
However, I am not opposed to the move because I think he’s a very good player. We will need to make other tweaks to our formation to make his presence worthwhile because a lot of our issues stem from not enough midfield coverage. But if the rest of our summer recruitment is this ambitious then this deal could prove to be a game changer, but I just think the money is too much.
 

Dan Thomas

@TLW1Dan

 
  
 
Paying up to £60m for a centre back is City, United or Chelsea behaviour. Liverpool? Nah, we don’t even spend that on the traditionally expensive positions, like centre forward for instance, so you don't expect to see us looking to shell out that kind of dough on a defender. 
And I’m ok with that, because I wouldn’t do it either. You don’t need to. You can get quality defenders on the cheap if you know what you’re doing. Most of our best defenders over the years have cost us buttons, and even as recently as last year we were snapping up Matip on a free. 
 
We defo needed a new centre back, but what’s up with going and finding another Matip or a Sami Hyypia, and using the big money on getting a superstar forward player? I don’t think that’s an unreasonable expectation, but here’s the thing - Klopp wants Virgil Van Dijk and doesn’t seem to care how much it will cost to get him. 
 
So if that’s what he wants, then fine. I’ve moaned for years about the penny pinching approach to transfers and the total lack of interest in competing with our rivals for top players. Usually we just walk away and don’t even bother, so this Van Dijk thing is actually pretty exciting, especially as it's being reported he's turned down other offers because he wants to come here. 
 
As long as it doesn’t impact on our ability to bring in the other players we need then I’m not going to complain about whatever we pay for Van Dijk because it's clear now that Klopp is now calling the shots and the days of Michael Edwards and his "computer says no" approach to transfers looks to be over. It's shame it cost us Deli Alli and probably an extra £25m to land Mohamed Salah, but hey ho.
 
Money aside, he looks like he’s a perfect fit for us. When we played Southampton at their place in the league cup semi, it felt like every ball we put in the box was drawn to him like a magnet. He won everything in the air and seemed to clear every cross. Earlier in the season when we’d played them in the league, twice he was able to beat Mané to a through ball, so the guy can run too. There's a reason everyone wants him, so if we get him then I'll be busting out the Jean Claude dancing gifs.
 

Dave Usher

@theliverpoolway

 
 

 

[aRdja 2,682]

He's fucking shite.

[Captain Turdseye 12,043]

£44m is the fee being banded about now, isn't it? That makes it a bit easier to take but to my mind that's still too much for a centre half and one that's still unproven at the very top level. That said, he seems a good fit for us and I'll have no complaints about the fee as long as we end up with the five first team players that we need to buy in this window. Like I just posted in the Salah thread, VVD, Salah, Keita/Other CM, Striker and LB would represent a pretty much perfect transfer window.

[Creator Supreme 1,069]

No but then again I'm not happy with the money in football full stop these days.

[dave u 6,019]

If we get Salah, VVD and Keita then I honestly wouldn't give a shit who the other signings are, as those three alone would represent a great window.

[Chip Butty 2,410]

No but then again I'm not happy with the money in football full stop these days.

 

I gave up giving a shit about the money years ago - the transfer fees are ridiculous and the wages are obscene. I still crave the glory for the club, but the rest of it is a bag of dog shit. 

 

The working class game, apparently. 

[Creator Supreme 1,069]

I gave up giving a shit about the money years ago - the transfer fees are ridiculous and the wages are obscene. I still crave the glory for the club, but the rest of it is a bag of dog shit.

 

The working class game, apparently.

I'd agree, I'd love a title win, but couldn't give a fuck otherwise. The money being bandied about is sickening though.

[Captain Turdseye 12,043]

If we get Salah, VVD and Keita then I honestly wouldn't give a shit who the other signings are, as those three alone would represent a great window.

Enough to make up for the negative net spend in the last three windows? Hopefully now is the time FSG put up the money to back Klopp and we go all out to sort all five positions.

[Arl arse 7,040]

It's the modern football world, either get on board or get used to being nearly men.

[Kurt 102]

I think it's too much. But my main problem is that he has Virgil on the back of his shirt. That's just so wrong.

[The_Goat 138]

I trust klopp

[3 Stacks 2,461]

Not really ok with the fee, simply because I think central defense is one of the only positions where you can still find great value. I'm not gonna pretend like he's shite, though. He's pretty great at just about everything, but I can't help but feel like he'll drop down a level at LFC, not scale another one.

[Arl arse 7,040]

I look forward to being a threat from our corners again.

[Chip Butty 2,410]

It's the modern football world, either get on board or get used to being nearly men.

 

I understand what is needed, but it just distances me from the club even more, the more the numbers increase. I may be getting all melancholy here, but there was time I/we felt we were part of something, a part of the club. Now, I'm just another number on a seat, feeling privileged that I only pay 30 quid for an away ticket(great work by the FSF to be fair), as if someones looking out for me and other fans up on high, when in reality, they give little or no care to who we are and what we represent and that goes for all fans these days. I won't stop supporting the club, but I have certain things that matter within that, the players and owners are not part of that - the badge with the Liverbird, thats all that matters these days.  

 

No money, no glory, I get that, but it just leaves a sour flat taste. 

[VERBAL DIARRHEA 7,997]

Nature of the beast sadly, evolve or die as they say. What happened at Leicester was a once in a lifetime, speculate to accumulate is the name of the game these days. But even that cannot guarantee success. We are overdue a good window and hopefully this will be it, a one Off splurge to get to the next level and then back too the odd class addition would do me.

[VladimirIlyich 7,527]

I have no idea what this player is like and the transfer fee will most likely be obscene and enough to allow all the homeless in the city to be housed for the foreseeable future.

Its money like this which makes me glad I dont go to the game any more and wont be subsidising any of their wages through ticket prices very soon. I also dont think you have to spend money on obscene transfers to win things, but players themselves(and agents) ensure you do.

[Razoray 411]

The club makes enough money to spend this amount and more on players to improve the team/squad. It is not funded by an oligarch or a sheik. The purchases are funded by supporters of the club and sponsors who feel it would be beneficial to be associated with the supporters.

The hierarchy seem to have realised that releasing of purse strings will benefit the club but it is money from profits not a loan or false sponsorship.

I'm rambling but we should felt a part of this. It is because of the supporters that the club can purchase players of this calibre, have a manager who encourages exciting football and gets players to seem like they give a shit. It's a lot of money but it's being invested in your club.

[KevieG 365]

Best centre back in the league. Our defence is shite. Great signing if it happens.

 

Dont care about the cost. Its all monopoly money. And anyway Klopp has spent fuck all

[Doctor Troy 10,406]

Not arsed. If he is the difference between us getting out of the group stages in the Champions League his fee would be paid. Klopp has had to sell to buy so this would be a big statement of intent.

[Hand Shandy 2,470]

Moan about not spending enough money to land players that improve the starting 11.

 

Moan about spending too much money to land players that improve the starting 11.

 

Sometimes, just sometimes, I feel a little sorry for Henry and FSG.

 

Then I see a picture of Linda and remember he's a jammy cunt.

[jimmycase 1,076]

What hacks me off is the fact that we could have bought a number of players cheaper than we are paying, but, at the time we, the club decided they didnt want to pay another 3m - 4m quid to get the deals done.

 

Do I personally think van Dijk is worth £50m and £180k a week? Fuck, no but it is what we have to pay if we want to be in the top 3 consistently and, have a realistic chance of maybe winning number 19.

[G Richards 4,264]

I'm fine with the fee, with the caveat that football fees are bonkers, and presumably we can afford it. If we became some sort of Ridsdale Leeds type scenario, and this was the turning point, then of course I'm not OK with it. But FSG have plenty of accountants and won't overreach, so I'm fine with the fee and wages.

 

He's exactly the player we need, so if he wants to come, get it done.

 

We must also remember sales, and Sakho alone would bring in about £25M which is approx half the fee. When we also consider Matip was free, all of a sudden the central defensive pairing looks more affordable again.

[the chimp 1,486]

I couldn't give a monkey's. For once we seem to be buying players to actually replace first-team members whilst concomitantly keeping those same members so we actually have good depth and options. It could be that we spend really big now so we don't have to (relatively speaking) going forward. It's also significant in that it surely must add impetus to others deciding on joining us when we're spending big on quality. Actually, I'm fucking delighted in this, If Salah and Keïta also come to pass I might just have move back home.

[Numero 6,959]

The fee is patently ridiculous, but the days of big clubs and football in general not being ridiculous are well gone. I am stuck between despising the way we pay so much for players that we could've had for much cheaper a season or two before, and just wanting to win and thinking, 'well, it ain't our money, so fuck it'. In this case, we get a leader who can organise and control the others in the box. We have needed a player like him for a long, long time. So, you know, fuck it.

 

*Wince*

[House of Dirk 492]

The fee is obscene. But its the going rate.