Virgil Transfer Rumours - Summer 17

[Toadhall Saint]

We are being lied to about the vvd situation according to the express "Southampton*haven't come out and gone to town on us. When they got the new manager, it was like backhanded conversations they were having.

 

"With Southampton, they were well up for a deal. Everyone goes on about [meeting him in] Blackpool and things like that.

 

"We had permission to speak to Van Dijk in Blackpool. There were things we didn't have permission for and that's why we made the apology.

 

"Chelsea*met him, City met him, he is actively for sale. That wasn't the issue beforehand.

 

"The issue was that something happened in the press that took a bit of Southampton's power away.

 

"That's the situation with them."

 

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/837141/Virgil-van-Dijk-Liverpool-Transfer-News-Graeme-Kelly-Southampton-News

 

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Old news old quotes sorry

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

I knew the news today was coming (albeit I only found out yesterday it was happening today) but told I couldn't share anything on the forum (strictly). However, I can share what the implications are now re: VVD, some of which I knew and shared yesterday.

 

Kat was open to VVD leaving. She's a businesswomen and so was happy to sell him at the highest price to any club, including Liverpool.

 

Les was adamant that we will not sell him to Liverpool at any price, and that it would take a monumental offer to sell him to any other club. He would rather VVD stays and doesn't play. He feels the club needs to make a stand and financially the club is in a good position and doesn't need the VVD money.

 

Before the takeover, Kat was likely to win out and VVD would have left.

 

Now, it's anyone's guess what the new owner will want. On one hand, £70-80m minus the Celtic sell on fee and one or two player purchases, pays off nearly a fifth or so of the amount Gao has paid for the club. On the other hand, VVD is a big draw and our best player and for the club to continue to grow and compete at the top level, and therefore increase the return on the investment in the long term, it makes sense to keep him at the club.

 

Pure speculation on my part, but I think the new owners first move to sell their best player would get the relationship with the fans off to a terrible start so I think he now stays. But that's speculation and not based on any ITK information.

 

For sure though, the only influence inside the club that was open to selling VVD to Liverpool (assuming they were the highest bidder), has now gone. Which is why I was confident to post last night he wasn't going to Liverpool because Kat was the last remaining hope for VVD that might happen and I knew the takeover was going ahead today.

 

But selling van d-ick doesn't pay off anything that Mr GAO has paid. vd is an asset of the company and any profits made on his sale don't go straight in the owners pockets surely?

[farawaysaint]

But selling van d-ick doesn't pay off anything that Mr GAO has paid. vd is an asset of the company and any profits made on his sale don't go straight in the owners pockets surely?

 

Assuming sufficient distributable reserves he can take whatever he wants as a dividend.

[JxgrSaint]

But selling van d-ick doesn't pay off anything that Mr GAO has paid. vd is an asset of the company and any profits made on his sale don't go straight in the owners pockets surely?

 

Net Income Attributable to Shareholders > Retained Earnings

[View From The Top]

Since the news about VvD and the dippers broke the information I've been given has been the same. VvD is not for sale to the dippers for any price. If anyone else wants him then the club will consider it if the offer is circa £75m.

 

That message has been loud and clear to those who have inquired about VVDs availability and as of yesterday, that message was the same.

 

I cannot envisage the club now caving in and selling him for less than that, especially as end of transfer window panic sets in, but if they do and get £75m for him from Chelsea or City then it's good business as far as I'm concerned.

 

We cannot sell to the dippers under any circumstances.

 

I may find out more on Thursday if anything has changed.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

Net Income Attributable to Shareholders > Retained Earnings

 

Yeah that might make you look clever but means nothing to the average footie fan like me

[Faz]

Yeah that might make you look clever but means nothing to the average footie fan like me

 

That's because its ********.

[DT]

chelsea, VVD, cash http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/chelsea-ready-begin-120million-spending-10988694.amp

[Shroppie]

chelsea, VVD, cash http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/chelsea-ready-begin-120million-spending-10988694.amp

I don't think this ranks much higher than pure speculation.

 

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[OldNick]

would be a bad start for the new owners if they sold to Liverpool. I haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere, but haven't really looked but the Virgin Media advert on Sky doesn't have VVD in the front of the players leading the team out. Does that send the signal that Saints didn't expect him to still be with us???

[OldNick]

I knew the news today was coming (albeit I only found out yesterday it was happening today) but told I couldn't share anything on the forum (strictly). However, I can share what the implications are now re: VVD, some of which I knew and shared yesterday.

 

Kat was open to VVD leaving. She's a businesswomen and so was happy to sell him at the highest price to any club, including Liverpool.

 

.

To me it shows that Kat was not really here apart from money, not like her father. She didn't care how it would upset the fans.

As for her 20% that gives her no real power , justy to keep her hand in to get another slice of the clubs profits

[Saint Scott]

would be a bad start for the new owners if they sold to Liverpool. I haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere, but haven't really looked but the Virgin Media advert on Sky doesn't have VVD in the front of the players leading the team out. Does that send the signal that Saints didn't expect him to still be with us???

 

The advert was produced a while back now. I'm sure our stance may have changed back and forth a lot since then with everything that has happened. From Tom's post it seemed Kat was Happy to sell to Liverpool however she is no longer in control so everything has changed.

[OldNick]

The advert was produced a while back now. I'm sure our stance may have changed back and forth a lot since then with everything that has happened. From Tom's post it seemed Kat was Happy to sell to Liverpool however she is no longer in control so everything has changed.

if it was produced a while back and the club were adamant we were not going to sell, surely the most recognisable face in u squad would be at the front. I assume he wasn't limping then, but perhas it shows that indeed we were expecting him to be sold

[GarrettIvo]

To me it shows that Kat was not really here apart from money, not like her father. She didn't care how it would upset the fans.

As for her 20% that gives her no real power , justy to keep her hand in to get another slice of the clubs profits

 

Markus died seven years ago.

I think she's proven herself to be a respectful and decent owner by and large.

 

Her stance regarding VVD is entirely understandable from a business perspective, despite how you or I might dislike it.

[sadoldgit]

would be a bad start for the new owners if they sold to Liverpool. I haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere, but haven't really looked but the Virgin Media advert on Sky doesn't have VVD in the front of the players leading the team out. Does that send the signal that Saints didn't expect him to still be with us???

 

From what I recall he didn't turn up for the shoot. I might be wrong, but I wouldn't read too much into it.

[OldNick]

Markus died seven years ago.

I think she's proven herself to be a respectful and decent owner by and large.

 

Her stance regarding VVD is entirely understandable from a business perspective, despite how you or I might dislike it.

That may be the case, but if she really cared about the fans, she would have had the same stance as Les Reed on selling to Liverpool.

At the end of the day it was a great financial place to be to rest a bit of cash

[SaintMB]

That may be the case, but if she really cared about the fans, she would have had the same stance as Les Reed on selling to Liverpool.

At the end of the day it was a great financial place to be to rest a bit of cash

Easy to spout off when you've not got 50m+ of your own money tied up in the situation.

[Saint Pete]

That may be the case, but if she really cared about the fans, she would have had the same stance as Les Reed on selling to Liverpool.

At the end of the day it was a great financial place to be to rest a bit of cash

 

That's easy to say now, but there is always risk attached to putting money into football clubs. Our own history tells you that it's not a dead cert and there are plenty of examples where huge amounts of "investment" have gone down the pan in football. I think you have to give credit to Kat and the team she has put in place for the successful way they have managed the club over the past few years since Markus died, which has reaped the benefits for everyone involved, including us fans.

 

Regarding Van Dijk, my opinion like yours and Les Reed's, is that we shouldn't sell to Liverpool under any circumstances, but if she was taking the stance that she would sell if the price was right, I guess she was being consistent with the way the club have operated in last few years, which ultimately has been very successful for us.

[CB Fry]

To me it shows that Kat was not really here apart from money, not like her father. She didn't care how it would upset the fans.

As for her 20% that gives her no real power , justy to keep her hand in to get another slice of the clubs profits

 

 

Your post here is utterly pathetic.

 

ML died when we were still in League One. You have absolutely no idea how he would have dealt with any of these situations.

[OldNick]

Your post here is utterly pathetic.

 

ML died when we were still in League One. You have absolutely no idea how he would have dealt with any of these situations.

and you don't either.

 

I do know that he was more into his project/dream than Kat. I also feel that NC my well have stayed the course, again nobody knows for sure.

 

As for not caring if it upset the fans, selling to Liverpool if they were the highest bidder not taking into account how the fans felt tells us a lot.

[aintforever]

and you don't either.

 

I do know that he was more into his project/dream than Kat. I also feel that NC my well have stayed the course, again nobody knows for sure.

 

As for not caring if it upset the fans, selling to Liverpool if they were the highest bidder not taking into account how the fans felt tells us a lot.

 

You have no idea wether Marcus would have wanted to sell Van Dyke or not so stop talking ******.

[Jimmy_D]

and you don't either.

 

I do know that he was more into his project/dream than Kat. I also feel that NC my well have stayed the course, again nobody knows for sure.

 

As for not caring if it upset the fans, selling to Liverpool if they were the highest bidder not taking into account how the fans felt tells us a lot.

 

The fact you're taking what one anonymous person has said on a forum as gospel, and are immediately using it as a stick to beat the club with says quite a lot.

[CB Fry]

and you don't either.

 

I do know that he was more into his project/dream than Kat. I also feel that NC my well have stayed the course, again nobody knows for sure.

 

As for not caring if it upset the fans, selling to Liverpool if they were the highest bidder not taking into account how the fans felt tells us a lot.

 

Probably worth stopping using a man whose been dead seven years as a vessel for your own self-entitled world view. You have no idea.

[GarrettIvo]

and you don't either.

 

I do know that he was more into his project/dream than Kat. I also feel that NC my well have stayed the course, again nobody knows for sure.

 

As for not caring if it upset the fans, selling to Liverpool if they were the highest bidder not taking into account how the fans felt tells us a lot.

 

KL gave it seven years, and she alone is responsible for our growth and success in that time.

 

Markus was a businessman as well so any suggestion he'd be less likely to cash in assets is a tad naive. But we'll never know.

 

Your posts are pretty sad. You could be a little thankful for what Kat HAS done for the club, given she would have been within her rights to flick us off as soon as the old man dropped.

[GarrettIvo]

Double post.

[Shipmate Saint]

Christ, now this really is grasping at straws.

 

http://www.empireofthekop.com/2017/08/15/saints-bosss-vvd-comments-will-interest-liverpool-fans/

[angelman]

I wonder when the penny will drop with Liverpool and their fans? That is unless they drop about 10 billion pennies (that's £100m for those who can't work it out).

[OldNick]

Probably worth stopping using a man whose been dead seven years as a vessel for your own self-entitled world view. You have no idea.

pot and kettle lol

[OldNick]

The fact you're taking what one anonymous person has said on a forum as gospel, and are immediately using it as a stick to beat the club with says quite a lot.

I'm not beating the club, I'm just looking at things in a more cynical rather sycophant view. It is a forum after all.

I do agree I am takingTom28 as gospelwith his words but he has been pretty spot on in the past. As a moderator you may well have better knowledge of the likely validity of that poster.

[S-Clarke]

I'm not beating the club, I'm just looking at things in a more cynical rather sycophant view. It is a forum after all.

I do agree I am takingTom28 as gospelwith his words but he has been pretty spot on in the past. As a moderator you may well have better knowledge of the likely validity of that poster.

 

More fool you for taking the words of a poster as gospel.

 

For what it's worth, I'm very skeptical about that poster in particular.

[Pamplemousse]

More fool you for taking the words of a poster as gospel.

 

For what it's worth, I'm very skeptical about that poster in particular.

 

I made that mistake, but he's proven himself to be correct on a number of occasions now.

 

Scepticism is a good thing though.

[derry]

I wonder when the penny will drop with Liverpool and their fans? That is unless they drop about 10 billion pennies (that's £100m for those who can't work it out).

 

Because of the quotes on here citing the attitude on RAWK I had a look at a few pages of today's posts. I find it difficult to understand why the fans have not grasped the fact that VVD is not going to Liverpool this year. Firstly why wouldn't we want to keep what we consider to be the best defender in the PL. We couldn't afford to buy him but he is contracted for another five years so we don't have to.

 

Southampton are not going to sell VVD to Liverpool. For a start why would we want to strengthen one of the two clubs that we could possibly finish above. Especially as they could both be struggling to cope with the Thursday night Europa League if Liverpool don't qualify for the league stage of the Champions League.

 

Secondly after the unscrupulous activities unsettling VVD which mirrored the Gerrard / Lambert connection, followed by Lallana and Lovren then Carraghers remarks to Clyne at a televised match Liverpool are not only hated by the Southampton fans they are hated by the Southampton management who matter. I think that with the PL awash with money we can pick and choose what we do. This is an ideal opportunity to teach the money bag clubs that they either do things properly or they won't be dealt with.

 

If VVD sticks it out until next summer then fair play to him and let him go to the highest bidder. I can't see VVD, unless we accept a fantastic bid north of £75m from MC, Chelsea or MU or a foreign club, not starting to play again fairly shortly after Sept 1st. Most of this seems down to his agent trying to get a return on his new player already on a six year contract, I would hope he is also not welcome here.

 

VD won't want to train and not play for nearly two years as he hasn't played since his injury. I can see it being sorted within three weeks. Whatever happens he won't be going to Liverpool. The longer they hold on to the hope the better, as they may not be able to strengthen their weak centre of defence if they leave it too late, and that would suit us fine.

[Saint Albert]

KL gave it seven years, and she alone is responsible for our growth and success in that time.

 

Markus was a businessman as well so any suggestion he'd be less likely to cash in assets is a tad naive. But we'll never know.

 

Your posts are pretty sad. You could be a little thankful for what Kat HAS done for the club, given she would have been within her rights to flick us off as soon as the old man dropped.

 

Adam Leitch wrote an opinion piece on the takeover yesterday in the Echo, which included this bit on Markus Liebherr's future intentions concerning the club:

 

"When Markus bought the club it was put to me by those close to him at the time that he saw it as a ten year project.

 

He would turn it around, have some fun, and then sell and make a profit. A hobby and a business venture combined. Job done."

[shurlock]

More fool you for taking the words of a poster as gospel.

 

For what it's worth, I'm very skeptical about that poster in particular.

 

What leads you to believe Tom28 is talking bull****?

[S-Clarke]

What leads you to believe Tom28 is talking bull****?

 

I just find the level of detail he comes out with a little too much to believe. He knows bits, I'm sure, but he seems to be polishing the edges to make it seem even more.

 

Just a hunch I have, nothing more. Not on a crusade against the bloke, have just always been a tad suspicious over anyone who claims to be ITK and shares that level of detail.

[Batman]

I just find the level of detail he comes out with a little too much to believe. He knows bits, I'm sure, but he seems to be polishing the edges to make it seem even more.

 

Just a hunch I have, nothing more. Not on a crusade against the bloke, have just always been a tad suspicious over anyone who claims to be ITK and shares that level of detail.

 

he obviously is ITK. but no one posts that level of detail with innocent intent...

but, who cares

[shurlock]

I just find the level of detail he comes out with a little too much to believe. He knows bits, I'm sure, but he seems to be polishing the edges to make it seem even more.

 

Just a hunch I have, nothing more. Not on a crusade against the bloke, have just always been a tad suspicious over anyone who claims to be ITK and shares that level of detail.

 

Agree the level of detail raises red flags as does the seeming comprehensiveness of his knowledge -unless the source is very high up and oversees many functions at the club (arguably rare). Still he does openly admit where he's adding his interpretation and filling in the gaps.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Unless Les signs up as Saint Reed, Tom's the go to man at the moment

 

 

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[Secret Site Agent]

I just find the level of detail he comes out with a little too much to believe. He knows bits, I'm sure, but he seems to be polishing the edges to make it seem even more.

 

Just a hunch I have, nothing more. Not on a crusade against the bloke, have just always been a tad suspicious over anyone who claims to be ITK and shares that level of detail.

 

The problem is that being ITK means you are getting information from a source within the club. I was ITK once and my contact we as windy as f as he kept saying it was his livelyhood he was messing wiht and for a while there was a witch hunt going on due to information being passed onto the press. I thought that Unbelievable Jeff and I had the same contact at that stage as the info we had was the same, but was coming from a different source. So I understand the need to be coy and TOM28 hasn't exactly let us down with his insights. That is why I understand the need to be coy with the truth.

My mate no longer has links wiht Football talent, he now looks after Powerboat talent.

[Saint Troy]

As i understand it the person who is currently the most likely to reasonably ITK is indicating that Les wasnt keen to sell to Liverpool but Katrina was. Why people are annoyed about this is beyond me - firstly its clear that she wasnt that up for it because hes still here - that could have been the incoming people that have forced this but if she wanted him gone hed be gone. Regardless of this any overly negative attitude to her time here is pathetic and childish. Guess what - she doesnt feel 100% the same about saints as you do - boo hoo. If she needed vvd gone financially then its her right to no be worried if its liverpool or chelsea - yes it would wind a few up a lot but she has done good things with the club, could easily have just got rid but has clearly tried to keep it in the manner her father wouldve been proud of and we should be proud of too. Embarrassing to read otherwise.

[Scoobysaint]

True ITK folk can't win. Posters cry out for a Guan or some other update. Tom28 appears with fruitful insights and folks start moaning. Personally, I appreciate what he shares with supporters.

[sotonjoe]

I don't buy Tom's made up stories. They are quite clearly transparent attempts by the club's PR team to polish Les's image in an attempt to dispel the Liar Les tag.

 

 

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[st16sfc]

I don't buy Tom's made up stories. They are quite clearly transparent attempts by the club's PR team to polish Les's image in an attempt to dispel the Liar Les tag.

 

 

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And you wonder why people think you're a moron.

[SFC-TID!]

I just find the level of detail he comes out with a little too much to believe. He knows bits, I'm sure, but he seems to be polishing the edges to make it seem even more.

 

Just a hunch I have, nothing more. Not on a crusade against the bloke, have just always been a tad suspicious over anyone who claims to be ITK and shares that level of detail.

 

I can tell you you're wrong to have a hunch. He's legit.

[trousers]

Down the years, whenever I've suspected a poster to be a 'PR plant', or suchlike, I tend to go back and look at their first post(s) on the forum to see if there was any ulterior motive for joining the forum. It can sometimes give clues as to where said poster might be coming from.

 

Anyway, I've no idea where Tom28 fits on the ITK/plant scale, and have no desire to judge - indeed, I'm rather enjoying his posts - but FWIW, this was his first post on the forum back in 2008...

 

I've just joined this forum and I can't believe the negativity amongst our supporters. I want to address two things:

 

 

1) Finances - When Rupert Lowe was driven out by a section of Saints supporters I said at the time that they should be careful what they wish for. It was frustrating under Lowe that our best players kept getting sold off, but ultimately, he kept our finances in order and he got us a great new stadium. The annual report that came out recently doesn't look good, but, if Leon Crouch was still in charge, we'd be in a far worse position. Look at the facts. Two years ago our revenue was £23m and last year it dropped to £14m. There are a number of reasons for this, and this is not the fault of Crouch, Lowe or anyone else in charge of the money. However, during the same period, our player wages went UP from £10m (45% of total revenue) to £12m (81% of revenue). This is something that Crouch could and should have controlled. We always knew our revenue would drop the longer we spent in the Championship. Our player costs should have dropped in line with that, but they didn't and that has put us on the brink of Administration. The best thing that could have happened for this club is for Rupert Lowe to come back in and sort this mess out. He has made the unpopular decisions needed to keep this club going. With Lowe in charge I believe we will stave off Administration and get the club closer towards the black. It won't happen over night and it may require one or two of our best players to be sold off, but I would take that over Administration.

 

 

2) Football - watching Saints play this season has been great. My complaints in recent years have been over poor football quality and players lacking passion. I would far rather pay money to watch entertaining football played by guys who want to play for the club, that pay to watch the rubbish I saw last year. The results haven't been good this year, especially at home, and on the face of it, that is hard to take. But for those that still go to the games, you will see a much more entertaining brand of football. We have outplayed almost everyone this season, and our defeats are a result of naive defending more than anything else. The players are young though and will improve. I think we'll continue to improve and learn and finish around 16th this season. I don't even think we'll be playoff contenders next season, but the season after, assuming most of the players stay, I think we'll be in a great position to get promotion. We may lose one or two along the way such as Lallana (who lets face it belongs in the Premiership), but I think we have every reason to be positive about what is now going on at the club. For the first time in a long time, I see a long term sustainable plan in place to get us back in the Premiership. And that is a vast improvement over the short termist strategies employed in recent seasons.

 

 

Get behind the team and the club.

[Batman]

I hope Tom keeps posting his stuff.

I do not think anyone is having a go, just more intrigued!

[angelman]

No prophet is accepted in his hometown.

[doddisalegend]

I just find the level of detail he comes out with a little too much to believe. He knows bits, I'm sure, but he seems to be polishing the edges to make it seem even more.

 

Just a hunch I have, nothing more. Not on a crusade against the bloke, have just always been a tad suspicious over anyone who claims to be ITK and shares that level of detail.

 

 

I just assumed Tom was this seasons club PR plant (weather he is aware or not) we always seem to have ITK each summer who seems to get fed stuff that you felt the club wanted put out there without being to upfront about it.......or maybe I just like conspiracy theories.

[Tom28]

Wow. You know transfer news has gone quiet when...

 

I'll clarify some things.

 

1) I am not Les Reed.

2) I am also not a PR plant by the club.

3) I don't share with you everything I know because that would expose my source. I share what I can, when I can. I wouldn't share anything that I think might damage the clubs reputation or any transfer deals.

4) Contact with my latest source has only been established for 6 months or so.

5) I've had previous sources in the past that have come and gone from the club.

6) There have been times when I've had had no sources and just posted unsubstantiated rumours I'd heard on the forum.

7) My Danny Ings posts were 100% legit based on the information I had at the time!!

[trousers]

I can tell you you're wrong to have a hunch. He's legit.

If I was a conspiracy theorist (which I'm obviously not... ) I would probably be inclined to suggest that a non-legit person would always have another poster up his sleeve to back him up...