IS JURGEN KLOPP RIGHT TO WAIT IT OUT FOR VIRGIL VAN DIJK?

   August 3, 2017  

The Dutchman has been training alone after informing his new manager and former Reds defender, Mauricio Pellegrino, that he wants to leave.

The latest developments will once again provide Liverpool fans with hope that Van Dijk will be pulling on the famous red jersey this season – but the waiting game is proving to be one that is frustrating many fans. So is Jurgen Klopp right to keep waiting on his main target, or will his incredible patience pay off?

The pros of playing the waiting game

Centre back is an area which, most fans can agree on, that Liverpool need to strengthen. Joel Matip was a shrewd signing when he joined from Schalke on a free transfer last season, but it is abundantly clear that there isn’t anyone with his class and composure to partner him in the heart of Klopp’s defence.

Van Dijk has been scouted out as the defender who can do just that and sit in with Matip to create a stronger foundation for the Reds at the back. It was clear even before the summer window opened that Klopp was going to make him his top transfer target – and that FSG were willing to back him financially in order to get Van Dijk in.

Now, since that point, it’s fair to say that quite a lot has happened, and we’ll just skirt around the whole public apology episode otherwise we’ll be here all day.

Once this happened, it was clear that, once more, Liverpool and Klopp needed to bide their time before making their next move for Van Dijk – not least to risk punishment from the Premier League which has thankfully been avoided.

Now with the Saints skipper set for showdown talks with his current club, it seems that patience has been a virtue in this case. Should Van Dijk sit with Southampton and reiterate his desire to leave, they could well be forced to open up negotiations with Liverpool for their star man.

This would most certainly appease many fans after the rather embarrassing climb down a few weeks ago.

It’s also worth noting, that even if this situation does arise, Klopp will still have to continue with his waiting game while the two clubs hash out a deal, which is expected to be in the region of £75m if it goes through. But nonetheless, it would herald a huge signing for Liverpool and would perhaps make up for missing out on Red Bull Leipzig’s Naby Keita.

The pros of this approach are clear: if it comes off, Klopp gets his man and everyone’s happy. If yet further patience is required while Southampton try desperately to keep hold of Van Dijk, it could still work to Liverpool’s advantage and force them into dropping their asking price for Van Dijk to get rid of him before the transfer window slams shut.

It could work out to be well worth the wait, but do not under estimate how dangerous this tactic could be.

Could waiting too long and failing to tie up the Van Dijk deal in time see Klopp hurriedly sign an alternative defender and leave our defence as it is for another season?

Could the humiliation of publicly ending our interest in Van Dijk have bought Southampton more time to talk him around to the idea of staying at the club?


Could that same episode have also made Southampton’s mind up that they simply will not do business with Liverpool again, especially considering how many players the Reds have snatched from them in recent seasons (four players totally £98m to be precise)?

It is getting to a point now where time is increasingly of the essence. We are into August, meaning that there is less than a month left until the window closes – and less than half that time until the season kicks off.

Ideally, and he’s said it before, Klopp would like to have all of his new recruits at Melwood before the first game away at Watford on Saturday 12 August. The last thing Liverpool want or need is for this to drag on for too much longer, that would leave us with the same back line excluding Andy Robertson as last season – which would be a concern with the return of European football.

And, although he has said that he will not buy quantity over quality, there still remains the possibility that he could be forced back into the market for an alternative centre back should the Van Dijk deal hit another snag or be totally written off. That we really don’t want to see.


It would be further embarrassment should the deal not get done, especially after Van Dijk’s apparent desire to want to Liverpool, if we simply ran out of time to bring him in.

Klopp would be particularly bereft should this happen, so it’s perhaps in everyone’s best interests to get something sorted as soon as possible to avoid us getting more egg on our faces.

The verdict?

Klopp’s playing a gutsy game this transfer window, insisting on the pursuit of his top targets and them only – which you have to stand back and admire. He’s been remarkably calm and collected when dealing with the media and seems to genuinely relaxed about the transfer situation in general.

But how long will he stay like this is he misses out on not one, but two of his main targets?

However, in the case of Van Dijk, I think he may be doing the right thing. Yes, the public apology was a low point and considerably damaging to our reputation, but it still seems as though FSG firmly believe in what the boss is doing and are willing to give him the money to build his Liverpool.

What other manager have they done that for in the past? I think we should mirror the faith of the board and trust in Klopp. After all, I think it’d take a mighty turnaround for Van Dijk to be pulling on the captain’s armband on the south coast this season.

 

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