Is it better for Liverpool if van Dijk is great or terrible until January?
By David Gate
With fresh stories today that Liverpool will be back in for Virgil van Dijk in January is it better for the Reds if he plays well or terribly until the window opens?
Reports came today from Virgil van Dijk that he is hoping that Liverpool will sign in the January transfer window. Every indication from the club is that we would still like to sign him. Emphasized not least by the failure to buy another center back in the summer. It appears we were willing to wait until January and maybe even next summer for our number one target.
Say Liverpool will make a bid in January and let’s presume Southampton will sell. Would it be more beneficial for Liverpool if he plays well or badly until then?
He has already spoke about his disappointment over missing out on the move and his determination to stay professional and do a job for the Saints. There is a case to be made that Liverpool could be much better off if van Dijk was terrible until January.
An error ridden few months at St. Mary’s could help persuade Southampton to sell. With summer signing Wesley Hoedt currently on the bench and Jack Stephens in the wings they are currently set at center back. They do not need to rely on van Dijk if he is playing badly. The fees quoted in the summer were between £65-75 million. A couple of costly errors could also drive the price down.
On the other hand how can we tell if the errors are a product of van Dijk biding his time or that he is not the same player he was before his injury? The last thing Liverpool needs is an error prone center back. We have two already.
My preference would be that he plays well between now and window opening. Without doubt, I care more about having a world-class defender than I do about the club saving £10 million or so. I hope he bosses it for Southampton.
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I hope he keeps every striker in his pocket and he is worthy every single penny of whatever astronomical fee we pay out.