There have been thousands of calls from Arsenal fans to secure a top holding midfielder and a marquee style super-striker this summer, but after the interest in Benedikt Howedes it seems probable that Wenger is also looking for a top class centre-back.
If so, then surely he should be looking at a player described as “the best centre-half in Europe“, especially when he would be easy to buy for around the £10million mark!
The defender in question is Virgil Van Dijk, Celtic’s Dutchman who has been at the club for just two years. Van Dljk has made it clear that he is keen to be tested at a higher level, but Celtic’s assistant manager John Collins says that he should not rush to move away from a club that is guaranteed Champions League football, albeit in the Qualifying Rounds. Collins was quoted as saying in the Mail: ‘I believe there is currently no better centre half in Europe than Virgil van Dijk,’ said Ronny Deila’s No 2 as the SPFL fixtures were announced on Friday.
‘I watch Champions League football, I watch Premier League football every week and Virgil is as good as anybody who is playing football in Europe.
‘Virgil can play for any team in Europe — so the important thing is he doesn’t think he has to jump ship quickly and take the first offer.
‘I’ve no doubt that one day he will be at a top Champions League club, one of the mega names in Europe.’
‘The Champions League is the ultimate tournament for a player,’
‘I know Virgil will be looking forward to playing there with Celtic. He has two years to go on his contract. He loves playing for Celtic. The fans love him and we love working with him.
‘There may come a day when he moves on from Celtic. But he has two years to go. At the very least, we need him for the qualifiers.’
‘I’m very surprised he’s not in the Holland team and that is probably down to snobbery because of the league he is playing in rather than the quality of the individual.’
Well, Collins is obviously impressed with Van Dijk’s quality, and Arsenal have been linked with the Dutchman for the last year. Should Wenger bring in the “best centre-half in Europe” as a backup defender at such a reasonable price?