Are Arsenal one of the ‘big clubs’ asking about Van Dijk transfer?

Thankfully for Arsenal fans this has not happened with our Chile international striker Alexis Sanchez, even though it seems pretty clear to all concerned that he would have liked to secure a transfer away from the Gunners this summer, but when a player is really determined to leave a club that does not want to sell him it can get quite prickly and the player in question can make a real nuisance of themselves.

That seems to be the case with the Southampton and Holland defender Virgil Van Dijk who has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool, although that was hit by the Anfield club being forced to apologise for tapping him up and relations between the two Premier League clubs appear to be strained to say the least.

Van Dijk does not see things quite the same way though and has now not only handed in a formal transfer request but has released a statement complaining about the way his current club are dealing with him and claiming that there has been transfer interest in him from more than one source, The Mirror reports.

The centre back’s statement says, “It is with regret that I can confirm that I have today handed in a transfer request to leave Southampton.

“Unfortunately I feel I have no alternative after I was given notice of the club’s intention to impose a disciplinary sanction against me of a fine equivalent to 2 weeks wages. I will be appealing what I feel to be an unjustified sanction and their inability to follow the correct disciplinary protocol in due course.

“Over the past six months I have held numerous discussions with representatives of the board, the former manager Claude Puel as well as the new manager Mauricio Pellegrino to inform them all of my desire to leave the club in search of a new challenge.

“I am incredibly ambitious and want to achieve as much as I possibly can to fulfil my potential in what is a very short career as a professional footballer. I want to play European football again and challenge for major honours and as such I would like Southampton to consider the interest in me from top clubs should it still exist.

“I have been left frustrated by the club’s position that I am not for sale and am disappointed that enquiries from multiple top clubs have been consistently rebuffed.

“The period of time that I have just spent injured and unable to play has put a number of things into perspective and made me realise just how important it is to take major opportunities should they arise.

“I have consistently relayed my feelings to senior management at Southampton in what I believed to be private and personal conversations.

“Disappointingly, these conversations have regularly found their way into the media.

“I had very much hoped to retain the good relationship I’ve always enjoyed with everyone at the club, especially the fans, but unfortunately in light of everything that’s happened this has now been seriously affected.

“I would like to make clear that I have nothing but gratitude to everyone at Southampton for giving me the opportunity to play in the Premier League.

“However, the time for me to move on is now and I hope to be able to work with the club to find the best resolution to suit all parties.”

Now a lot of football pundits and many Arsenal fans feel that the centre of defence is a position which the Gunners could be stronger in, so do you think Arsenal could be one of these multiple top clubs whose interest in the Dutchman has been rebuffed?

If not, why not and do you think that Arsene Wenger should now be looking at him, or does this statement show that Van Dijk is not the sort of player that we need after all?

Bob.

21 Comments

  1. A backline of

    cech

    koscienly van dijk mustafi

    sounds promising.

    we should go for virgil van dijk…
    yes we may have alot of cbs but i think none of them except koscienly is up to this guys level.

    sell gabriel…….buy van dijk give him number 5.
    also mertesacker retiring.smart move.

  2. I don’t think so. Arsenal has many central defenders already.

    OT: Just saw the first half of Real Madrid vs MU match. Modric-Casemiro-Isco completely bossed Matic-Pogba-Herrera with their technical abilities. MU midfielders rely too much on their physical attributes.

    I wish Arsenal has midfielders with technical abilities at the same level as Real Madrid midfielders. Marcelo is also a very skillful left fullback.

    1. Marcelo is probably the best LB in the past 5-7 years. No one can touch him but Kolasinac might be the best LB in the Premier League. Watch the space.

      I really really hope we are in for Goretzka (who is NOT going to Bayern, yet). His ability to turn defence to attack is unmatched in our current team but he’s still a workhorse in the defence with his interceptions and tackles. We wouldnt need a “destroyer” with him in our team. He and Xhaka would be a formidable partnership.

      • long range shots CHECK
      • long range passes CHECK
      • physical aspect CHECK
      • defensive duties CHECK
      • pace CHECK (Goretzka is rather quick for a lad 189 tall)

      1. not a prayer
        everyone wants him

        would need to be stupid bid

        we dont bid stupid- we wage stupid

  3. I say no and the reason is to spend the money sorting out CM, we had 50% clean sheets with Cazorla in CM in the 4231 formation, 50% clean sheet record after formation change (both in EPL), if we can get cover for Cazorla who can do the job well then how well can the current lot do at keeping clean sheets?

    AFC can defend well, we just need to do something with the ball once we made that tackle, control the ball once regained possession. As for making mistakes, every defender makes mistakes, less likely to make mistakes if the CM can carry the ball forward and not give it back to the opposition.

    1. That doesn’t even make sense. That stat you say is great except the reason you give is erroneous. Cazorla isn’t a reason for clean sheets.

      Let’s not get carried away with this nonsense. Cazorla is the most talented midfielder we have had since Fabregas who was just before him. In terms of that aspect, Arsene has spoilt us. But that is not the reason for clean sheets……

      1. The reason for cleansheets is pretty simple – you don’t expose your defence and leave them for dead and one of the ways to ensure that is to keep the ball and not lose possession near our half and make the right choice of who to give the ball to – in that sense Cazorla is one of the best. the speed with which we turned defence into attack when he was in there has noot been replicated since. One of the reason of that he sacrifices himself for the team whereas Ramsey for me is a way too adventurous player – you don’t need to; just pass the ball to the attacking players and get back to defend. Ramsey tries an outrageous pass; misses it and the opposition can counter. OT – just saw the manu – real match and was wondering what makes the Real mid field so great – they don’t do anything fancy but they do simple things which benefit the whole team ; keep he ball, play it around and wait for the right moment – simple isn’t it – they just bossed united today

        1. Gave you a thumbs up.
          That said…”one way” in your words.

          Bad ass CBs is another. Give me VVD

  4. Gabriel is wanted by Valencia, sell him and get V Dijk. Kos, Mustafi ,VD make a great D. We would be very solid in the back.

    1. VVD costs 60-70 mill. Arsenal will never spend that money on a CB. No chance in the world we are linked with him. I don’t see why Holding doesn’t deserve a chance to start anyways. I just don’t see CB as a major concern, and I don’t think our actual CB’s are the reason we concede goals. Our midfielders are always leaving our CB’s out to dry, and Arsenal only press one at a time, never as a team. VVD would improve us but won’t fix our defending problems.

      1. Absolutely – our defence needs more protection from our mid field. Our full backs – Bellerin in particular needs to work on his defensive duties (the wingback position is so demanding ). Kos is ageing so all CBs will get game time. I just hope Mustafi comes good and justifies the huge money we spent on him. Kos when he is fit will be solid, Mert will do a job and Monreal is always reliable. So Holding and mustafi need to step up and we are good. I do not know much about defensive mid fielders but why we don’t go a young solid guy who can fix this problem for the next 5-6 years is beyond me. I really liked Wanyama – why we let someone like him and Kante slip is beyond me. We need an upgrade to Coq – he is at best a backup

  5. Get Van Dijk 1st this will push us to selling Gibbs, Debuchy , and Chamers or Gabriel, the sale of the 3 out of these for will be up to £30milion . Debuchy £3-4milion, Gibbs- £10-12 million Chambers £16-20 million gabriel £10-15 millon then we add £20 mi to make £50 million move for van Dijk

  6. WHY would we show interest now in Van Dijk when we have just tried our uttermost to discourage Sanchez from doing much the same thing (transfer request apart)? Wouldn’t it be hypocritical to encourage a southampton player to break contract whilst our club and fans see disaster an despair when a player of ours is disloyal.

    *For being complicit in allowing himself to be tapped up and conducting business in the manner he and liverpool did – this player has no place at arsenal fc. If we went in for VVD the double standard speaks volumes. Don’t expect to see him anytime soon in a gunners shirt for obvious reasons.

  7. Best scenario for getting Van Dijk would be to offer Chambers plus cash while also selling Gabriel to Valencia. We would still need a non-homegrown player to leave to accommodate him because as it stands we have 18 but only 17 can be registered. Same would apply for Lemar, Seri and Mahrez.

  8. We struggled to cough up the mone for Lacazette. Took half the summer to get close to a 50mill Lemar bid. People seriously think we’re in for VVD? Who is way more than Lemar..

  9. Would be ideal, which is why it won’t happen lol we all want another solid CB to come in but we all know that it’s never going to happen!! VVD is going to an ambitious club with a ruthless manager/board like Man City or Chelsea! Then they will be even more solid at the back, demolish our weak squad, then go on to challenge and probably win the league lol thumb down all you want but you know it’s the truth!!! All we can do is hope that Holding can step up even more this season!

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