van Dijk is good, but it's a lot of cash for someone who isn't world class and has zero top club experience. Is he even among the top 10 defenders in the league right now?

Personally I think the most interesting centreback outside the big clubs this season is Harry Maguire. Leicester did really well to pick him up.

He’s good and he’ll certainly strengthen Liverpool

Lot of dough though.

Hegazi has impressed

Klopp is building a quality side. All they need is a proper keeper and full backs.

We're probably selling Coutinho in that case. Going all out for Lemar in the summer. Basically doing what we wanted to do om deadline day, Van Dijk and Lemar.

Liverpool really need top four but I don’t think they’ll get it

£75m for good but not great defender. That’s depressing. It’s things like this that are making me lose interest in football.

Keita and Van Dijk for close to £140m, it's a big gamble if they don't work out.

The most expensive defender in football is Virgil Van Dijk. In a January transfer.

This is unsustainable.

Is he really that good?

It's great work by Liverpool if they sell Coutinho for over 100 million.

goon wrote:

Is he really that good?

No, but will improve their defense enough to ensure they get 4th. 

next thing you know, we'll buy Jonny Evans for 30m! 😆

Rohit wrote:
goon wrote:

Is he really that good?

No, but will improve their defense enough to ensure they get 4th. 

That's the reason plus the fact that they got found guilty of tapping up the player in the summer weakened their bargaining position so they probably went with a "name your offer" position.
They also have an over-priced Coutinho in their back pocket to balance out the net-spend and acting fast eliminated the potential bidding war with city, chelsea &/or united.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/12/27/liverpool-agree-world-record-75m-deal-virgil-van-dijk/

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:

Coutinho will be a huge huge miss

Yep, still their best player IMO despite Salah's form

With Liverpool now finally sorting out their defence (yes I truly believe VVD would have that level of impact - he's that good), Wenger can kiss his 4th place dream goodbye.

One player isn’t going to sort out their defence, they have a coaching issue, but he will improve their ability to play out from defence.

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:

£75m for good but not great defender. That’s depressing. It’s things like this that are making me lose interest in football.

Yeah this game is so dead.

It is absurd, just doesn't sit well with me.

That said, every passing window increases the feeling that Arsenal are being left behind.

Ray wrote:

One player isn’t going to sort out their defence, they have a coaching issue, but he will improve their ability to play out from defence.

Keita and Van Dijk will do wonders. Dare I say them two additions will shave 10 goals against over a season in the pl.

Ricky1985 wrote:

It is absurd, just doesn't sit well with me.

That said, every passing window increases the feeling that Arsenal are being left behind.

True. It does hurt a tad when you step back and recognise that we’re the only top club which runs itself in a fair and ethical way. The rest are basically scum clubs.

Would love to see Burnley snatch a top four place and us win Europa

Charging the highest ticket prices in world football to watch a Europa league level team doesn't sound too fair or ethical to me.

Ricky1985 wrote:

It is absurd, just doesn't sit well with me.

That said, every passing window increases the feeling that Arsenal are being left behind.

True. I don't even care whether VVD is worth it or not for Pool, because ultimately he will strengthen them massively despite the fee.

With Keita joining, and Goretzka rumoured to be close to Pool as well, all they need is a top keeper to have a sustained challenge.

Meanwhile, with Ozil and Alexis leaving on a free, we basically need a GK, CB, backup RB&LB, CM, RM, LM, AM to even think of a challenge.

What pisses me off more than our approach to transfers is our fitness levels. We are lacking still

Everton signing Cenk Tosun. Potentially great signing, scored tons of goals this season and looked the real deal in UCL.

Jed wrote:

Charging the highest ticket prices in world football to watch a Europa league level team doesn't sound too fair or ethical to me.

And we pay our ground level staff less than alot of other clubs too. Arsenal are no more ethical a club than anyone else.

Ricky1985 wrote:

It is absurd, just doesn't sit well with me.

That said, every passing window increases the feeling that Arsenal are being left behind.

Exactly. We laughed at what United paid for Pogba and now that seems fair enough. We need to get in the big money game or we'll be left way behind.

Qwiss! wrote:
Jed wrote:

Charging the highest ticket prices in world football to watch a Europa league level team doesn't sound too fair or ethical to me.

And we pay our ground level staff less than alot of other clubs too. Arsenal are no more ethical a club than anyone else.

This. We are just badly run

Qwiss! wrote:
Ricky1985 wrote:

It is absurd, just doesn't sit well with me.

That said, every passing window increases the feeling that Arsenal are being left behind.

Exactly. We laughed at what United paid for Pogba and now that seems fair enough. We need to get in the big money game or we'll be left way behind.

We laugh at, dismiss and balk at other teams modus operandi all the time yet we haven't broken the 80 point barrier for a decade.

Other teams have been in and out of the CL but we don't go beyond the second round despite consistent qualification.

That's why I don't understand the "City aren't even that good" argument in the Premier League thread.

Qwiss! wrote:
Jed wrote:

Charging the highest ticket prices in world football to watch a Europa league level team doesn't sound too fair or ethical to me.

And we pay our ground level staff less than alot of other clubs too. Arsenal are no more ethical a club than anyone else.

Source?

This riles me up when I read things like this.

Tony Montana wrote:
Qwiss! wrote:

And we pay our ground level staff less than alot of other clubs too. Arsenal are no more ethical a club than anyone else.

Source?

This riles me up when I read things like this.


https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/jeremy-corbyn-joins-arsenal-fans-in-campaign-to-pay-employees-london-living-wage-a6726856.html
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/dec/15/top-football-clubs-attacked-for-low-pay-of-ground-staff

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:

I don’t think that’s unethical

I think its deeply unethical. And I think its far worse than spending big on players.

In Liverpool’s case it’s not the size of the fee that’s unethical