Arsenal Set To Make Formal Bid For Dutch Defender

The summer transfer window may be closed but managers are already thinking ahead to future transfer windows so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip. Today, Arsenal are set to make their move for Celtic’s Virgil van Dijk.

Arsenal are ready to table a formal £8m offer to Celtic for highly-rated defender Virgil van Dijk as Arsene Wenger promises to solve his defensive issues in January, according to reports today.

There’s no doubt we have left ourselves short of options in the center of defence after failing to bring in a replacement for Thomas Vermaelen after he was sold to Barcelona in the summer, with Calum Chambers left as the only recognised cover for Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker at centre-back.

Our lack of depth at the back has already been exposed as Koscielny has been ruled out of tomorrow’s clash against Hull with an Achilles injury and Chambers is suspended, so the boss may have to play Nacho Monreal at centre-half.

Speaking at the clubs AGM on Thursday, Wenger confirmed that he plans to address this hole in the squad by signing another centre-back in January. He said:

“I believe we have done remarkably well on the transfer market. I agree we could have bought one more player, (but) we did not find one.

“We will try to rectify that, because we are a bit short, and overall I think we will rectify that in the transfer market in January.” Wenger is quoted as saying by the Mirror

The Mirror claim Wenger is now ready to renew his interest in van Dijk after failing with a last ditch attempt to land him on transfer deadline day during the summer.

Celtic refused to business at that time but the Scottish giants may now struggle to hold on to the 6ft 4″ defender after failing to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League, and the newspaper suggests that we’ll test their resolve with a formal £8m offer.

It remains to be seen whether that will be enough to persuade Celtic into a sale but you’d think the player may push for a move as the opportunity to join a club like Arsenal should be too good for the 23-year-old to turn down.

van Dijk enjoyed a superb debut season in the Scottish Premier League following his move from Groningen in 2013 with the Dutch Under-21 international virtually a mainstay in the side as they cruised to yet another SPL title.

van Dijk has all the makings to be a top class centre-half and although I’d expect him to be nothing more than a back-up if he did join in January, he would be able to learn the ropes from the likes of Mertesacker and Koscielny during the second half of the season before making a push for a first team place.