Arsenal Transfer News: Virgil van Dijk Deal Makes For Ideal January Recruit

After failing with a late bolt for the centre-back's services during the summer transfer window, Arsenal are understood to be reinvesting their interest in a January swoop for Virgil van Dijk.

The Gunners are currently lacking in defensive numbers, and the Daily Mail's David Kent writes that Celtic's stalwart will rank among manager Arsene Wenger's priorities when the transfer window reopens:

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The Gunners made a deadline day enquiry for the Holland international but their move for the centre-half came too late. But scouts will continue to keep tabs on Van Dijk in the coming weeks with a view to a possible move in January. Van Dijk has established a growing reputation at Celtic, but he would find it difficult to snub a move to one of the continent's top leagues.

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It's well-founded that defence is one area in which Wenger could have strengthened to a greater extent this summer, despite solving some depth issues with the acquisitions of Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers.

However, Thomas Vermaelen's move to Barcelona leaves the central ranks looking somewhat undermanned, and Van Dijk fits the bill as an affordable-yet-effective prospect.

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Since moving to Glasgow in 2013, the former Netherlands under-21 international has grown to become one of the Bhoys' outstanding performers, winning the Scottish Premiership in his maiden campaign with the club.

Ronny Deila outlined the defender's importance to Celtic's cause prior to deadline day, per the Daily Mail's John Greechan:

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He had of course wishes to get to a new stag. He is a young player and a young man - and he will get many chances in his career. But now we need we need him here and he knows that and that is how it is going to be. I think it’s no problem. But he needs a couple of days to get this out of his system, get thinking positive again.

He’s a player we want to have and we would like to sign him on an even longer contract. That’s how it is. We need good players here and we need to have his kind of player if we want to get the results we need. So that is no problem, that is how it is. He is professional. There are a lot of emotions, a lot of thinking, and not so much sleep. The speculation is hard for the mind. It will be good when we come back after the break. I am 100 per cent sure (that he will be committed).

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It's understandable that commitment should falter, however, as England's big guns come calling, as they have done in the past.

Any central defender Arsenal do sign has a tough task ahead of him in breaking up the steely partnership of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, but that's why Van Dijk's situation fits so well.

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Making the step up from Scotland's top flight, Van Dijk wouldn't perhaps be ready to commandeer a place in Wenger's starting XI straight away, but he would certainly contend, at the very least.

In time, the Dutchman would grow to establish more demand in playing time, and the Sunderland Echo's Chris Young quotes Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon in citing just how talented the 23-year-old is:

In his last year as an Arsenal player, Vermaelen too grew used to the idea of playing third in Wenger's centre-back rankings, but it's a scenario Van Dijk would be more accepting of, for a time.

Eredivisie writer Michiel Jongsma hints that despite Celtic's domestic grandeur, Van Dijk was perhaps a class above the Scottish titans, while also indicating the sort of price Arsenal would need to fork out for his signature:

The Gunners completed some fine business in selling Vermaelen for £16 million given his age and the fact he had less than a year left on his contract. Those funds alone may indeed be enough to tempt Celtic into a sale for their star.

Last season, Van Dijk made 36 league appearances and scored five goals as Celtic ran away with the title, per Transfermarkt, showing his taste for goal despite his defensive strengths.

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Although it's not the portion of his talents Wenger requires most, it's still a boon to know that one's defenders do possess an eye in attack.

The Premier League would undoubtedly be a step up for Van Dijk, but in among a throng of more expensive, less realistic targets, he sits as a lower-cost option, but one who would still add a much-needed alternative at the Emirates Stadium.