Monsieur Crabbe has just taken a (sideways) glance at Newsnow and found a link to Virgil van Dijk, from Celtic. http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2015...reparing-8m-bid-for-celtics-virgil-van-dijk/?
"JOHN COLLINS last night labelled Virgil van Dijk the best centre-half in Europe — as Norwich City prepare an £8 million bid for him." That's quite a claim.
This is all part of a cunning plan to reintegrate Ricky. Sign a Dutch player, with a 'van' in his name...... Not rocket science, is it?
Would be a superb signing. If we got him I'd feel quite confident about our defence next season. Doubt it will happen though.
The more I think about a swap deal, the more it makes sense to all parties. We need to offload one of our strikers at least if we're going to bring in another. They've each got their shortcomings and while our burly little Hoops, I think, is the most natural finisher with a lovely touch and the best movement, the fact is I don't see how he fits in to Neil's system given his bit part in the second half of last season. He'd go back to where he's loved and we'd get a classy (giant) CB with funds to spare on a new striker.
Agree with that, Rob. And Celtic getting one of their cult heroes back would help soften the blow of losing a classy defender somewhat. As Errol Brown once said "Everyone's a winner, baby"
This will be a true test of the way that AN is viewed and how his 'selling' of Norwich City to potentially top names is analysed. Obviously VvD will have come across AN last season and so it is not as if it is a totally cold approach. If it came off this could be the linchpin signing that we all wanted. I am not so enthusiastic about Hooper going the other way though but would accept it if it was a dealbreaker.
I'd want to keep hooper but if he's determined to leave I'd want something good in return. VvD would be good.
Which makes me think Hooper may be our best chance of landing van Dijk. If the price is around £8m you can bet most of the bottom half of the Prem will be sniffing around. Offering them a fan favourite and proven scorer back (who's old strike partner is still there?) would do wonders for our chances. If it takes £5m plus Hooper, that's not terrible business.
Chelsea are reportedly after Toby Alderweireld, whose loan spell at Southampton is over. Which will leave Saints with a big gap at the back and so van Dijk may well be on their radar, too. And with respect, they ought to be a bigger draw than us, sadly. (Sorry, just putting 2 + 2 together - and ending up with 87.666 recurring)
Trust Monsieur Crabbe to come up with an interesting rumour that leads to swap possibilities and then turn around and squash our hopes!
