Arsenal Reportedly Rejected Chance to Sign Virgil van Dijk for £12M
Arsenal could have signed Virgil van Dijk for just £12 million back in 2015, according to then-Celtic assistant coach John Collins. Instead, the Gunners considered the player who became the world's most expensive defender when he joined Liverpool for £75 million in January "too nonchalant."
Collins was speaking during an appearance on beIN Sports and also revealed how the Reds could have signed Van Dijk earlier had previous manager Brendan Rodgers been convinced the Netherlands international was better than the Anfield club's centre-backs at the time (h/t Alex Smith of the Daily Mirror):
Collins admitted there was some truth to Arsenal's original concerns, but he also detailed what makes Van Dijk special: "Arsenal's chief scout thought he was a little be too nonchalant, and maybe that was part of his game, but he ticks so many other boxes: pace, power, balance, distribution, good in the air."
The Gunners weren't alone in having doubts about the mobile defender, who swapped Glasgow for Southampton in September 2015. Even Liverpool were initially wary: "Gary [McAllister] was Brendan's assistantl and he mentioned to Brendan, but he said he wasn't sure he was better than what they already had. He would have cost £12 million."
McAllister's inability to convince Rodgers of Van Dijk's worth will likely bemuse Liverpool fans when they consider what the club had in its defensive ranks three years ago. Smith named Dejan Lovren, Mamadou Sakho, Kolo Toure, Steven Caulker and Martin Skrtel as the options at Rodgers' disposal.
At least Liverpool eventually got their man, albeit for £63 million more than they could have paid back in 2015. Van Dijk may have cost £75 million, but he has improved the Reds' back four considerably:
The Premier League leaders have conceded just twice in six domestic matches, all of them wins, to start the season. It's a rare run in the division:
It's also been a while since Liverpool enjoyed such a streak:
How Arsenal would love to have a defender capable of making a similar impact. The Gunners remain shaky in defence, even on the watch of new head coach Unai Emery, who replaced Arsene Wenger in the summer and faced fortifying the back line as an obvious priority.
Arsenal conceded 51 league goals last season and have already been breached nine times this term. The numbers would be different if Emery had a natural talisman like Van Dijk to lean on.
Wenger's final years in charge may have also turned out differently had he built a solid defence around a player of Van Dijk's talents. Issues at the back undermined the Gunners in each of the past two campaigns.
Both ended with Arsenal outside the top four, finishing Wenger's lengthy sequence of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. Centre-back Shkodran Mustafi arrived for more than £35 million in 2016—more than double what Van Dijk would have cost in his Celtic days—but he has done little to alleviate the team's frailty in resisting opposition attacks.
Mustafi has struggled mightily, while Rob Holding has been a bit-part player since Wenger acquired him from Bolton Wanderers for £2 million in 2016.
Gunners supporters will likely bemoan decisions like the one to sign Gabriel Paulista from Villarreal the same year the north London club could have made a move for Van Dijk. Gabriel joined Valencia this summer.
Not being able to get the formula right at the back has consistently undone Arsenal in recent years. Mistakes in recruitment are still being paid for by Emery and the new regime.
It only adds to the frustration to know Wenger and long-time chief scout Steve Rowley could have solved the problem for as little as £12 million. Gunners fans watching Van Dijk help turn Liverpool into title-chasing heavyweights are left to merely rue what might have been.
