They almost had him.
You always want what you can't have, and it seems that any chance Liverpool had of signing Virgil van Dijk is well and truly gone.
Van Dijk to Liverpool was the saga of the summer, as Liverpool desperately tried to fix their defensive woes. But Southampton dug their heels in and Liverpool even pressured Liverpool into publicly apologising for tapping up the defender.
Saints managed to keep their most prized possession in the summer but he hasn't played at the level we know he's capable of this season, so he will likely be sold this January, while Van Dijk's stock is still high in a world short of top class defenders.
Reports are circulating that Manchester City are in pole position to sign the Dutchman, with a £70m offer in place. This news hasn't gone down well with fans across the country, especially Liverpool fans. Some are even in denial.
https://twitter.com/AnfIeldNotion/status/944571861798719489
https://twitter.com/LFCFansCorner/status/945426172137164802
It seems to be spoiling quite a few Christmases.
https://twitter.com/Sabah07/status/944573241812836358
And many are pessimistic after how Liverpool missed out in the summer.
https://twitter.com/MoSalahisGod/status/945636610439307264
https://twitter.com/CarefreeDailyFC/status/945636275721310208
It would take a complete capitulation for City to miss out on the league title now, so it is understandable that some fans are angry and envious of City's ability to add this sort of quality to their squad while they're already dominating the league, but central defence has been a problem for City for a while.
Nicolas Otamendi has stepped up this season, ironing out his flaw of diving into tackles prematurely. John Stones has also impressed but is currently out injured. Eliaquim Mangala is functional but not ideal for Guardiola's style of play, and relying on Vincent Kompany to stay fit would be very naive.
City's chase for Van Dijk makes sense; he fits the profile for what Guardiola wants from his central defenders and if they've got the money, why not spend it?
