Liverpool agree world-record £75m deal for Virgil van Dijk

[Scoobysaint]

We must have got a new manager lined up, maybe Tuchel will be tempted with money to spend. Surely they can’t trust MP with the cash. They wouldn’t at the start of the season so they can’t let him have it now.

[Whitey Grandad]

I don’t know why everyone is saying it’s £75m. If the figures in the press are correct we get £63m (Celtic get 10%) with possibly a further £4.5m to follow .Still a lot but it’s not £75m.

 

‘A deal worth up to...’ can mean all sorts of things but it sure as hell ain’t all that money up front.

[jasonb]

‘A deal worth up to...’ can mean all sorts of things but it sure as hell ain’t all that money up front.

 

From the Telegraph article linked on previous page:

 

Liverpool have agreed to pay £70m of the fee up front, with Celtic also benefitting from a 10 per cent sell on clause on a deal that then rises to £75m.

 

This deal obviously leaves a very bitter taste because of VVD attitude in the summer and this season and the fact is Liverpool again.

 

However, I said in the summer, I would sell to them if the deal was all the cash up front. S that is being reported by our press man(sic), Jeremy Wilson, I take it as fact.

 

This was the bare minimum I was prepared to accept. It's still sticks tho. Perhaps Walcott coming home plus s couple of other decent signings will soften the blow. Maybe VVD has been such a c*nt that now he's gone, the team will stop messing about.

[northam soul]

Now all we have to do is actually attract the right quality players here.

The club openly admitted on many occasions that they find it hard to get them and boy do we need that to change now.

As for the players that are already here it’s time to start playing for the club, enough of these interviews after every game by different players saying we must try harder.

As for the manager everyone moans there is no loyalty any more, well we certainly have been loyal with everyone around us getting rid.

I think we have already left it too late to sack him and Les will have to live with the consequences one the summer.

[Roo1976]

For the most part, but Man City aside with decent management you can still compete, as Burnley have. A well-managed Saints or Everton would have been right up there causing upsets this season, but both have been rubbish unfortunately.

 

There are a lot of negative managers around, but teams don't have to play that way. Christ, even if you wrote off the away games to the top 6 (which burnley have shown is daft), you'd have 32 matches to go and attack.

 

Steady on there with your blanket statement a well managed Everton are doing nicely thank you and we poo pooed the idea of BIG SAM.........guess we should consider the points gap as not too significant at this stage then?

[CylonKing]

Glad to see him go first of all, but disappointed that it's to Liverpool after the hoo-haa in the summer. If he was not for sale, then he should've been not for sale for at least the season. The fact that he's barely tried and was back to sulking again and he has got his wish after all, just makes this a really sad situation. Surely Liverpool should now be charged by the Premier League\F.A for tapping up as that is what started this whole sorry state of affairs to begin with? It has had a purely negative affect on our club which could end up with us being relegated.

 

As for van **** himself, I hope it all falls through for him and his stock collapses and he ends up in the reserves, rotting somewhere. Had the chance to keep his mouth shut, be a professional and do everything behind the scenes like an adult. Calling him a child does kids everywhere a disservice. A horrible, horrible footballer who I hope absolutely fails in whatever he does. Pr*ck.

[Raging Bull]

Anyone know if we’ve added a sell on fee in case or when Barca or Madrid come calling when he’s got some champions league experience?

[doddisalegend]

For the most part, but Man City aside with decent management you can still compete, as Burnley have. A well-managed Saints or Everton would have been right up there causing upsets this season, but both have been rubbish unfortunately.

 

There are a lot of negative managers around, but teams don't have to play that way. Christ, even if you wrote off the away games to the top 6 (which burnley have shown is daft), you'd have 32 matches to go and attack.

 

really you are holding up Burnley up as some paragon of attacking football....

[Dusic]

Good price for us, but find it hard to be too bothered about a fee as we don't know how much will be spent on what.

 

You have to say its a quality signing by Liverpool, absolutely class centre back when fit and focused, easily the best in the PL and I think he will do really well there.

 

To think two seasons ago we got more points than them over a 38 game season. The difference in the quality of the squads now is ludicrous.

[Pilchards]

Anyone know if we’ve added a sell on fee in case or when Barca or Madrid come calling when he’s got some champions league experience?

 

I remember the one we did a few years ago with Gareth Bale. Did we not trade it for a keeper worse than Forster?

ha ha

[egg]

I'm glad that this saga has ended. Personally I would have preferred him gone in the summer and I can't help but think that we'd be in less of a mess now had that happened.

[Lighthouse]

I remember the one we did a few years ago with Gareth Bale. Did we not trade it for a keeper worse than Forster?

ha ha

 

And a reasonable chunk of cash, which we needed at the time. This was at a time when Spurs were talking about loaning Bale to Forest and we were on the brink of administration. There are many valid criticisms of Lowe but I’d have probably done the same in that scenario.

[Baird of the land]

Well we've got good money for him.

Can't stand way he's behaved and his attitude.

Hope it goes horribly wrong for him at liverpool.

 

Just hope we use the funds wisely and not all at once.

The summer is the time to utilise money better, now's the time for some emergency patching.

[James]

really you are holding up Burnley up as some paragon of attacking football....

 

I think, at this point, we are past the whole “we need to play attacking football” idea and are at the point where we simply need to survive. Burnley are an excellent example of how to pick up points (even against decent teams).

[scotty]

Well we've got good money for him.

Can't stand way he's behaved and his attitude.

Hope it goes horribly wrong for him at liverpool.

 

Just hope we use the funds wisely and not all at once.

The summer is the time to utilise money better, now's the time for some emergency patching.

 

I'd say that emergency patching is rather what we need at the moment.

[SaintDan]

This is the best piece of business we have done so far fact.

 

Last summer was a disaster, we need to maintain our business mode of being a shop window for players otherwise they have nothing to work towards. £75m (less 10%) means we have money to spend and are losing a player that didn’t want to be here anyway. If Liverpool had a better scouting network rather than running fight club they would be buying these players in/breeding them from the academy for peanuts.

 

Next steps

 

We have to reinvest though. CF of dembele or the like. Again it would be a short term transfer but we would hopefully double whatever we spend and see goals.

 

Get Jack Stephens playing centre back again. Keep the cortese dream of academy players alive.

 

Expand the stadium and improve the surrounding area. We now have serious money let’s build the infrastructure at the ground having improved the training facility to world class. This will attract further talent and help build a bigger fan base.

 

Reward the fans. Time to give the season ticket holders a free game for all the **** football they’ve seen this season. At £75m (less 10%) ticket prices are now a drop in the ocean. Reward the fans!!!!

[RedWillie]

Another example of how football is in its own bubble, hurtling towards self destruct whilst in the real world, £75 million will provide you roughly 2350 nurses on average salary for a whole year

[ALWAYS_SFC]

In what way? We've sold them our best player. I'd rather have him than any money

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

This

[yellow&blue]

Will he mysteriously have picked up an injury in February when he returns to St Marys?

[Lord Duckhunter]

Will he mysteriously have picked up an injury in February when he returns to St Marys?

 

Doubt it, do you really think he’s scared of the Southampton support? A bit of booing, a few rude songs, before half leave on 85 mins.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[shurlock]

This is the best piece of business we have done so far fact.

 

Last summer was a disaster, we need to maintain our business mode of being a shop window for players otherwise they have nothing to work towards. £75m (less 10%) means we have money to spend and are losing a player that didn’t want to be here anyway. If Liverpool had a better scouting network rather than running fight club they would be buying these players in/breeding them from the academy for peanuts.

 

Next steps

 

We have to reinvest though. CF of dembele or the like. Again it would be a short term transfer but we would hopefully double whatever we spend and see goals.

 

Get Jack Stephens playing centre back again. Keep the cortese dream of academy players alive.

 

Expand the stadium and improve the surrounding area. We now have serious money let’s build the infrastructure at the ground having improved the training facility to world class. This will attract further talent and help build a bigger fan base.

 

Reward the fans. Time to give the season ticket holders a free game for all the **** football they’ve seen this season. At £75m (less 10%) ticket prices are now a drop in the ocean. Reward the fans!!!!

 

Attaboy

[Foxstone]

I'm glad that this saga has ended. Personally I would have preferred him gone in the summer and I can't help but think that we'd be in less of a mess now had that happened.

 

Totally agree. I said so at the time, as in my opinion it was far more important to have a squad of players pulling in the same direction as opposed to an ongoing saga with a mooching brat skulking around the place casting a pall wherever he went.

 

by keeping hold of him until now, we hurt Liverpool a bit but have hurt ourselves far more.

[OldNick]

Totally agree. I said so at the time, as in my opinion it was far more important to have a squad of players pulling in the same direction as opposed to an ongoing saga with a mooching brat skulking around the place casting a pall wherever he went.

 

by keeping hold of him until now, we hurt Liverpool a bit but have hurt ourselves far more.

we have got a lot more money, and Liverpool have not had the chance to go for the league.

I wonder if VVD has made a major mistake in his choice of club.

He has been put to the Liverpool fans as the instant remedy to their defensive woes. Every goal will be looked at, and if is see to be making mistakes the pressure will grow on him. Yes in form he is a fantastic defender, but he was lax on a few occasions last season, especially when forwards got in front of him at the front post

[James]

we have got a lot more money, and Liverpool have not had the chance to go for the league.

I wonder if VVD has made a major mistake in his choice of club.

He has been put to the Liverpool fans as the instant remedy to their defensive woes. Every goal will be looked at, and if is see to be making mistakes the pressure will grow on him. Yes in form he is a fantastic defender, but he was lax on a few occasions last season, especially when forwards got in front of him at the front post

 

Has also been very poor by his standards this season.

[OldNick]

Forster, I have been banging on about it for a couple of seasons now, our goalkeeping coach is useless. The first goal was pathetic. Forster rooted to the spot when a cross came in 3 yards from goal.

In sport you need to be on your toes ready to spring and move quickly, Forster's feet are buried in the soil, he also is far to tight to the line.

Any half decent coach would utilise his height and reach to clean out any forward. Its about time we got a coach in to hone the advantages Forster has, he is a massive investment in wages and so we need to get someone who can make FF the keeper he really can be

[musesaint]

£75m will not save us without some radical action from the club.

 

We are on the edge of a very high cliff. I’m not sure the board have the ability to work out how to avoid going over it

[Suomi Saint]

We sell our best player when in the midst of a relegation battle halfway through the season, and still some posters are of the opinion that this is "a great bit of business" by the club and that they "would drive VVD to Liverpool themselves for such a great fee." Interesting. I think there is a bit of Stockholm syndrome going on here. Saints are not a real football club anymore, it has become a 'revolving door' business focused solely on player trading, which some fans are all too keen to overlook because somehow it has become the norm over the past few years. The fans are being abused by the club, yet still love the club - hence the reference to the Stockholm syndrome. Well, it is only going to end one way, and that is down. Do people really think that our faceless Chinese owner is going to reinvest the whole net amount on new players, when we all know deep down that the Chinese are only interested in making money? 20 million may be ploughed back in on a foreign striker who can score 10 goals a season, and do we really think that 5 goals between now and the end of the season is going to save us from the drop?

The timing of this announcement - before the transfer window opens and only a day after a 5-2 drubbing by Spurs - is particularly cynical of the club. Tease the fans with a "world record fee" of 75M and they will forget what a useless clown the manager is for a few days, in an attempt to buy the Board some time. Even throw in rumours that Theo is making a glorious return - I am surprised they didn't say Bale. The fans have been, and are continuing to be, well and truly had.

[OldNick]

We sell our best player when in the midst of a relegation battle halfway through the season, and still some posters are of the opinion that this is "a great bit of business" by the club and that they "would drive VVD to Liverpool themselves for such a great fee." Interesting. I think there is a bit of Stockholm syndrome going on here. Saints are not a real football club anymore, it has become a 'revolving door' business focused solely on player trading, which some fans are all too keen to overlook because somehow it has become the norm over the past few years. The fans are being abused by the club, yet still love the club - hence the reference to the Stockholm syndrome. Well, it is only going to end one way, and that is down. Do people really think that our faceless Chinese owner is going to reinvest the whole net amount on new players, when we all know deep down that the Chinese are only interested in making money? 20 million may be ploughed back in on a foreign striker who can score 10 goals a season, and do we really think that 5 goals between now and the end of the season is going to save us from the drop?

The timing of this announcement - before the transfer window opens and only a day after a 5-2 drubbing by Spurs - is particularly cynical of the club. Tease the fans with a "world record fee" of 75M and they will forget what a useless clown the manager is for a few days, in an attempt to buy the Board some time. Even throw in rumours that Theo is making a glorious return - I am surprised they didn't say Bale. The fans have been, and are continuing to be, well and truly had.

it has been like this for years now. Forget not when we had the meltdown when we sold Lallana , Chambers , Rickie and Lovren the board told us the money would be reinvested. We were given the impression it was then and now but turned out to be in the future and would also include wages. Cynical use of words. It would be great to know what the real fee is, the published fee maybe a lot different to the real one. Its all smoke and mirrors

[OldNick]

Interesting that Pep says he didn't want VVD

[SuperSAINT]

Interesting that Pep says he didn't want VVD

 

I think it's one of the few times that Liverpool could blow City out of the water for a player. VvD almost became some sort of magic token that Liverpool literally had to sign at all costs.

[OldNick]

I think it's one of the few times that Liverpool could blow City out of the water for a player. VvD almost became some sort of magic token that Liverpool literally had to sign at all costs.

If Man City want a player they can get him I would have thought.

Klopp has thrown his hat on VVD being the answer and has got Liverpool to sign him, add to their defensive woes they had to get him and so pay over the top ( if 75m is true)

[Give it to Ron]

Forster, I have been banging on about it for a couple of seasons now, our goalkeeping coach is useless. The first goal was pathetic. Forster rooted to the spot when a cross came in 3 yards from goal.

In sport you need to be on your toes ready to spring and move quickly, Forster's feet are buried in the soil, he also is far to tight to the line.

Any half decent coach would utilise his height and reach to clean out any forward. Its about time we got a coach in to hone the advantages Forster has, he is a massive investment in wages and so we need to get someone who can make FF the keeper he really can be

 

Totally agree Nick - Kane headed that in from 3 yards....wtf is the goalkeeping area then if not inside the 6 yard box? Rooted to his line like a waving Windsock you know the ones they have a tall bloke waving arms in the air - thats Forster.

Our goalkeeping department has been a shambles since Watson arrived - whats the point in McCarthy/Taylor if your scared to play them when your number one is playing sh1te and no confidence? He needs taking out of the firing line for a while.

[skintsaint]

Thought I'd read the forums in scouseland, some comments they will push City next season

 

He will be under some pressure to perform straight away.

[S-Clarke]

The amount of pressure on VVD will be huge, they will concede due to the gung-ho way Klopp’s sides play, and for any goals they concede he will be looked at under a microscope. Let's hope he's got broad shoulders.

It’ll be interesting – and hopefully funny – to watch it pan out.

[SuperSAINT]

The amount of pressure on VVD will be huge, they will concede due to the gung-ho way Klopp’s sides play, and for any goals they concede he will be looked at under a microscope. Let's hope he's got broad shoulders.

It’ll be interesting – and hopefully funny – to watch it pan out.

 

Yeah, at this moment in time they are blowing teams away, so their defensive lapses aren't being highlighted - but it will change again.

 

I can't help but feel they will need a defensive midfield specialist to partner Keita next year.

[Whitey Grandad]

Forster, I have been banging on about it for a couple of seasons now, our goalkeeping coach is useless. The first goal was pathetic. Forster rooted to the spot when a cross came in 3 yards from goal.

In sport you need to be on your toes ready to spring and move quickly, Forster's feet are buried in the soil, he also is far to tight to the line.

Any half decent coach would utilise his height and reach to clean out any forward. Its about time we got a coach in to hone the advantages Forster has, he is a massive investment in wages and so we need to get someone who can make FF the keeper he really can be

 

Don’t rewrite history. That was a high-speed dipping cross that was whipped in and may have ended up inside the box at the far post but it’s trajectory was high enough that I can’t think of any keeper that would have got to it.

[Whitey Grandad]

it has been like this for years now. Forget not when we had the meltdown when we sold Lallana , Chambers , Rickie and Lovren the board told us the money would be reinvested. We were given the impression it was then and now but turned out to be in the future and would also include wages. Cynical use of words. It would be great to know what the real fee is, the published fee maybe a lot different to the real one. Its all smoke and mirrors

 

We ‘wasted’ a lot of money on deals that didn’t work out too well. Osvaldo anybody?

[Faz]

Don’t rewrite history. That was a high-speed dipping cross that was whipped in and may have ended up inside the box at the far post but it’s trajectory was high enough that I can’t think of any keeper that would have got to it.

 

Agreed. My initial reaction was that he should have got it, but when you see the cross from behind Eriksen, it had pace dip and curl. The error was Romeu's I'm afraid.

[egg]

we have got a lot more money, and Liverpool have not had the chance to go for the league.

I wonder if VVD has made a major mistake in his choice of club.

He has been put to the Liverpool fans as the instant remedy to their defensive woes. Every goal will be looked at, and if is see to be making mistakes the pressure will grow on him. Yes in form he is a fantastic defender, but he was lax on a few occasions last season, especially when forwards got in front of him at the front post

Who gives a monkeys whether our stubbornness in keeping hold of a player who doesn't want to be here has meant that Liverpool couldn't win the league?! They don't interest me. My club do, and the decision to keep a player who on any assessment must have damaged morale only to sell him anyway, was ridiculous. It was showboating that has left us with a mountain to climb to stay up. Had he gone in the summer and we gave the defence a chance to become a settled unit, without a moody VVD around the club, I am convinced we'd be better placed than we are now.

[egg]

Agreed. My initial reaction was that he should have got it, but when you see the cross from behind Eriksen, it had pace dip and curl. The error was Romeu's I'm afraid.

Yep. Also at fault for Alli's goal. He's a massively overrated player. He slows us down going forward and recently hasn't been the answer defensively.

[so22saint]

Yep. Also at fault for Alli's goal. He's a massively overrated player. He slows us down going forward and recently hasn't been the answer defensively.

 

well he is back and forward to Spain every single week so either knackered or head elsewhere

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

I find it ironic that we only got van d-ick because the scouse tapped up lovren. Now they have tapped up van d-ick. If they didn't have such a **** scouting team, they could have saved themselves 3 years of pretending lovren is any good and about £80 odd million in fees by getting Van D-ick in the first place

[danjosaint]

Do believe they tried, I think it was Brenda wanted him but board said no

[BARCELONASAINT]

I am 100% in total agreement. I feel betrayed by our club, it sickens me we have let both VVD and Liverpool get their own way. The whole fiasco may well end up with us being relegated and what good then will Liverpools $75 do when it's spent on inferior players and a large chunk of it disappears into the owners bank account.Honesty and integrity are the two things i live by and SFC have shown none. Maybe it's an age thing but after over 45 years of supporting Saints i feel almost done with the club.

 

Glad to see him go first of all, but disappointed that it's to Liverpool after the hoo-haa in the summer. If he was not for sale, then he should've been not for sale for at least the season. The fact that he's barely tried and was back to sulking again and he has got his wish after all, just makes this a really sad situation. Surely Liverpool should now be charged by the Premier League\F.A for tapping up as that is what started this whole sorry state of affairs to begin with? It has had a purely negative affect on our club which could end up with us being relegated.

 

As for van **** himself, I hope it all falls through for him and his stock collapses and he ends up in the reserves, rotting somewhere. Had the chance to keep his mouth shut, be a professional and do everything behind the scenes like an adult. Calling him a child does kids everywhere a disservice. A horrible, horrible footballer who I hope absolutely fails in whatever he does. Pr*ck.

[Chewy]

I am 100% in total agreement. I feel betrayed by our club, it sickens me we have let both VVD and Liverpool get their own way. The whole fiasco may well end up with us being relegated and what good then will Liverpools $75 do when it's spent on inferior players and a large chunk of it disappears into the owners bank account.Honesty and integrity are the two things i live by and SFC have shown none. Maybe it's an age thing but after over 45 years of supporting Saints i feel almost done with the club.

 

Sorry, but it is an age thing. How is this any different to when we sold Steve williams, Danny Wallace, rod Wallace, Alan shearer, Tim flowers or even Jeff Kenna? Or how about bale, Walcott, surman, oxlade and Chris Baird? Players get bought and sold, it's how professional football works. We got good value out of vvd for a couple of seasons (clearly not this one) and have got a fantastic fee for him. Replace and move on.

[St_Tel49]

Sorry, but it is an age thing. How is this any different to when we sold Steve williams, Danny Wallace, rod Wallace, Alan shearer, Tim flowers or even Jeff Kenna? Or how about bale, Walcott, surman, oxlade and Chris Baird? Players get bought and sold, it's how professional football works. We got good value out of vvd for a couple of seasons (clearly not this one) and have got a fantastic fee for him. Replace and move on.

 

Well said

[BARCELONASAINT]

You are probably right and i have forgotten past sickening transfers.....were any of them as damaging to the club as this VVD saga with Liverpool has been??

Hopefully SFC will show they have quietly been planning for this day for months and will unearth our new fantastic signings as soon as the transfer window opens....i won't hold my breath!

 

Sorry, but it is an age thing. How is this any different to when we sold Steve williams, Danny Wallace, rod Wallace, Alan shearer, Tim flowers or even Jeff Kenna? Or how about bale, Walcott, surman, oxlade and Chris Baird? Players get bought and sold, it's how professional football works. We got good value out of vvd for a couple of seasons (clearly not this one) and have got a fantastic fee for him. Replace and move on.

[Give it to Ron]

You are probably right and i have forgotten past sickening transfers.....were any of them as damaging to the club as this VVD saga with Liverpool has been??

Hopefully SFC will show they have quietly been planning for this day for months and will unearth our new fantastic signings as soon as the transfer window opens....i won't hold my breath!

 

I haven't gotten over us selling Brian O'Neill to Huddersfield yet.....disgrace

[Cabrone]

I've been around long enough not to get too worked up about players coming and going and to get £75M for Virgil is a superb piece of business.

 

Of course we now need to spend wisely, not on experiments but proven players. We need to go big on a goal scorer now that Charlie is out otherwise where are the goals coming from? However top priority MUST be a decent manager if we can find one.

 

I still think that with a good motivator in charge and Gabi plus a real spearhead up front that this squad could do pretty well in this league.

 

Don't feel any particular animosity to Virgil, football is a business and we've done well by him. Ironically it could be his lack of loyalty that saves our conversation prem status.

[striker]

I'd sell my girlfriend to Liverpool for £75M, I'd even throw in the dog.