Virgil Van Dijk deal sets January transfer window tone: Will Chelsea follow suit?
Liverpool and Virgil Van Dijk have set the January transfer window on fire before it has even started. Will Chelsea fold to the pressure and splash the cash?
The January transfer window hasn’t even opened but we already have our blockbuster mid-season move. Liverpool and Southampton have agreed a deal worth reportedly £75 million for Virgil Van Dijk. There has been pressure on Chelsea to conduct some business this winter. Will this deal force the Blues’ hand?
Van Dijk was set to be on the market this January but Liverpool have managed to steal a march on their rivals. Although Manchester City were supposedly interested, the Saints have chosen to agree terms in advance with the Reds.
This move is a signal of intent from Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool have been fantastic going forward, but their shambolic defending has cost them multiple points. Spending such an eye-watering amount on Van Dijk shows how eager the Reds are to fix their squad weakness.
Chelsea fans have been heaping pressure on the club to strengthen in January. A poor summer has left them miles behind City in the league table. However, the Blues are still in all three cup competitions and some acquisitions are needed to increase their chance of succeeding.
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With City as strong as they are, Manchester United with their unlimited spending power and Tottenham finding their groove again, the top 4 race will also heat up. Chelsea still have an upper hand, but Liverpool are now a significantly stronger threat with Van Dijk in the backline.
The two areas of concern for Antonio Conte are wingback and attack. Marcos Alonso doesn’t have any real competition for his spot while the Blues seem to be lacking a reliable plan B when Alvaro Morata goes missing.
The latest reports indicate that Yannick Carrasco could leave Atletico Madrid and it’s a deal that Chelsea would be interested in. The Belgian has fallen out of favour in a confused and disappointing Atletico team. The forward has previously proven his talent and teaming with countryman, Eden Hazard, should only give him a greater platform to improve.
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Having said that, Chelsea have been reluctant to splash the cash in recent times. Morata’s big-money move was in retaliation for missing out on Romelu Lukaku. What do you think? Will the Blues spring into action and follow Liverpool’s lead? Or will they hold off until the summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!