Gary McAllister has expressed his astonishment at Arsenal’s failure to pursue Virgil van Dijk before his arrival in the Premier League, emphasizing that all major clubs had the Dutch defender on their radar.
Undoubtedly one of the Premier League’s greatest defenders, Virgil van Dijk played a pivotal role in propelling Liverpool into title contention after his record-breaking £75 million transfer from Southampton.
While van Dijk’s excellence at Liverpool is now unquestionable, his potential was evident during his time at Southampton, and those who witnessed his performances at Celtic foresaw his promising future.
Gary McAllister, who observed van Dijk during his Celtic days, shared his thoughts on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, revealing that he expected a heavyweight Premier League club to lure him away from Parkhead.
Watching Celtic extensively during van Dijk’s tenure, McAllister noted the defender’s exceptional performances, especially in European games. Despite widespread interest, Southampton emerged as the sole bidder for his services.
Contemplating the hypothetical scenario of van Dijk joining another club, it’s intriguing to consider how history might have unfolded differently. He signed with Southampton the summer before Arsenal finished as runners-up to Leicester City in the Premier League.
The subsequent years proved disappointing for Arsenal, witnessing managerial changes from Arsene Wenger to Unai Emery, with Mikel Arteta requiring substantial time to restore Arsenal’s prominence.
In hindsight, the challenging environment at Arsenal during that period suggests that van Dijk might not have altered anything about his career trajectory. The Gunners faced difficulties, and it remains difficult to envision a significant shift in van Dijk’s successfull journey.
