Why Jurgen Klopp Must Prevent Manchester City From Making A Move On This Liverpool Target
Manchester City are reportedly interested in a move for Liverpool target Virgil Van Dijk, who is currently playing as a central defender for Southampton. The Saints were engaged in a summer tussle with the Merseyside club over signing the Dutchman but the move fell through after they accused Liverpool of using illegal means to approach him. The Reds did apologise but Van Dijk had to stay back at Southampton. However, Jurgen Klopp has not given up and is still targeting him but Pep Guardiola’s interest is likely to jeopardize his chances further.
The Saints will not be happy to let their star defender leave in any situation but if City offer them a tempting sum, they might find it hard to say no. This does paint a worrisome picture for Liverpool, considering how fragile their defence has been so far.
They started off the new season on a strong note in terms of their attack but their back line let them down on several occasions. In fact, it prompted a lot of people to question what the outcome would be if Liverpool’s attack played against their defence.
The likes of Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino have been spectacular at the front but their stunning performances could not do much as the Reds shipped in quite a number of goals. Things could have been so different if they had a stronger defence but this has cost them dearly and Klopp would not want to repeat this next season. Van Dijk seems like the cream of the crop right now, as far as central defenders go, and it comes as no surprise that Manchester City are harbouring an interest.
However, if Klopp is to turn things around for Liverpool, he needs a player like Van Dijk and cannot afford to let City sign him. The champions-elect are 11 points ahead of second-placed Manchester United and could become a stronger force if they signed the Liverpool target. Moreover, it could dent Liverpool’s chances of sparking a resurgence in their form at the back after.
Players like Dejan Lovren, Ragnar Klavan and Joel Matip have failed to hold the fort at the back. Although their performances have marginally improved over the last couple of games, this cannot be an option for the long-term. They need to bring in reinforcements and Van Dijk seems like the best in the Premier League as of now.
So it is imperative that Klopp lands his man in January ahead of Manchester City since the Merseysiders need him a lot more than Guardiola does.