Why Signing Southampton Star Virgil Van Dijk Will Make Manchester City Unstoppable
Pep Guardiola has reportedly ordered Manchester City to sign Southampton star Virgil Van Dijk at all costs in the January window. The defender was aggressively linked with a move to Liverpool over the summer but it did not materialise. Although the Reds continue to harbour an interest, Chelsea have also joined the battle to acquire his services.
The Blues are in need of a quality central defender since manager Antonio Conte endured a fall-out with David Luiz. The Brazilian seems to have been iced out of the squad and a defender like Van Dijk could massively boost their chances in January.
However, it will be tough for them to even get close to signing him with Manchester City in hot pursuit as well. Price has never been an issue for the cash-rich club and it is likely that will meet any valuation set by the Saints. Mauricio Pellegrino is unlikely to be happy about Van Dijk’s impending departure but if City offer a tidy sum, Southampton could be tempted to release the in-demand Dutchman. They are believed to be holding out for £60million now and it will be interesting to see if City part with their money.
That said, none of the other top six clubs will be happy if Van Dijk goes to City. Yet, Guardiola seems to be adamant on landing the defender. This season, the Sky Blues have been untouchable and unbeatable. They are on a roll as far as winning games are concerned and have firmly established themselves at the top of the table. They have emerged as the better team by a mile when compared to their competitors and much of this has been possible due to their blistering attack and midfield magic.
Although they have been excellent in every way, it is understandable as to why Guardiola is so keen on signing a quality central defender. The likes of Vincent Kompany and John Stones have had to deal with injuries, which has dumped a lot of pressure on Nicolas Otamendi. Meanwhile, the manager does not seem like he trusts Eliaquim Mangala enough, which does bring about the need for a new face at the heart of the defence.
Given the situation City are in right now, they can afford to slip up at the back to an extent since their attack is unstoppable and also due to the fact that nobody can really dominate them in the middle. Even if they ship in an unnecessary goal or two, the players up front are more than capable of scoring more to undo the damage.
This may not be a luxury they can afford in the near future and that is why they need Van Dijk in January. If they can manage to sign him, City are likely to become an impregnable fortress at the back.