Saint Albert

In Stanowski's tweet above he promises in Polish that his client will not lip off to the PL referees and take stupid yellows while playing for Southampton.

...and on the tapping up issue, the Guardian writes that it is believed that Saints had information to back up the claim, which they did not provide to the investigation: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/27/liverpool-to-escape-punishment-for-alleged-tapping-up-of-virgil-van-dijk

There's a few journos reporting that Chelsea are concentrating on a move for VVD because Allegri refuses to sell Bonucci, and describes him as a future Juve captain. This is on top of reports from last week stating that Bonucci was uninterested in a move to Chelsea: http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/virgil-van-dijk-transfer-news-chelsea-focus-on-southampton-man-after-juventus-close-the-door-on-a3573981.html

I certainly agree that it comes down to the club. I'm actually starting to think that we may keep him this season mainly because Liverpool have dirtied the waters for other teams. They are the only team desperate enough to pay the stated price, and Saints are unwilling to sell to them.

If his contract is as stated, it makes me wonder if he is furious with his previous agent for tying him up with a restrictive deal. I'm pretty sure that he switched sometime after he signed the new contract.

Would you happen to know if this applies to Liverpool or are they out of the running as stated in the Times' piece quoted above?

I'm trying to come to an understanding of exactly what is happening here. I came up with the following alternatives: a) Liverpool did nothing wrong in the league's eyes; or b) Liverpool breached the illegal approach rules but their abject and public apology and their public withdrawal of interest in VVD were deemed punishment enough by the league; or c) Southampton have more evidence that they are withholding, because they are pleased with the apology and withdrawal of interest in VVD, but they will use this evidence if Liverpool welch on their public statement and pursue VVD again; or d) Liverpool breached the illegal approach rules but the league don't want to do anything to upset one of its big teams, because the league are a bunch of ______ (insert pejorative here).

Chelsea in "box seat" to sign VVD, because Saints are still reluctant to deal with Liverpool, from the Irish Independent reporter who claims to have a club contact: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/chelsea/exclusive-why-chelsea-may-still-be-in-the-box-seat-to-beat-liverpool-to-the-signing-of-virgil-van-dijk-35866793.html

I think that £61 million for Sandro sets the top level price for fullbacks in what may well prove to be a highly inflationary market. I'm sure that Daniel "Mr. Burns" Levy will be observing it with interest. I'm not going to suggest that RB and Cedric are at the top level of the scale, but I also do not think they are as far down as the presently-reported valuations would indicate.

Chelsea are about to spend £61 million on the LB Sandro according to multiple reports in the press today. It puts the club's valuation of VVD into perspective, not to mention the prices floating around in the media concerning Bertrand (£25 mill) and (Cedric £15 mill)

Good read thanks. I like him. The idea of adapting team shape and tactics to the personnel available rather than vice versa, is very encouraging. Nice of MoPo to put a good word in about the club.

Me too. Gibbs would be a good option if RB leaves.

Is it just me or have today's entries in this thread gone missing? Anyway, Bonnuci does not want to come to Chelsea according to reports in Italy. This could have implications for VVD, since he was supposedly their "other" target at CB: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/821123/Leonardo-Bonucci-Juventus-Chelsea-Transfer-News-Gossip-Rumours

It was going to say that the scousers will view this as a VVD replacement but the scouser beat me to it.

Here's a Polish report: Czytaj więcej: http://www.gol24.pl/ekstraklasa/a/transfery-lecha-poznan-w-tym-tygodniu-kolejorz-moze-zarobic-fortune,12210861/

Walker to City - Spurs want 50 million for him: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4632862/Man-City-Tottenham-battle-50m-Kyle-Walker.html

Here's the article: https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-chelsea-given-lavish-asking-price-bid-sign-virgil-van-dijk-120508542.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw

Also the interviews have to be entertaining.

City's insistence on a buy-back clause for Iheanacho causing problems for W.Ham and Leicester: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/06/23/kelechi-iheanacho-move-hits-stumbling-block-man-city-demand/

Indeed this could all be part of a cunning plan by VVD's agent, and someone said on here that he and his young family are settled in the south. VVD to Liverpool just is not a palatable option and based on Sam Wallace's piece quoted above, it looks like VVD to Liverpool remains a no-go for the club.

I've seen nothing reputable here, nor over at Not606 (at least not yet), so it's just Di Marzio. For some reason I'm not buying it, notwithstanding Di Marzio's reputation.

Welcome to the new manager! He's grown on me, after I was initially underwhelmed by pretty much all the names out there this summer. It sounds like he might have the personality to engage the squad. He could be a good'un.

The VVD to Chelsea for £60 million rumour has put Liverpool fans into a bit of a tailspin today, but many of them are dismissing it as being unreliable because it comes from Sky Sport Italia. It's worth noting that the source seems to be the supposedly reliable Gianluca Di Marzio: http://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/van-dijk-is-heading-towards-chelsea-he-is-contes-first-choice

Christensen looks like he might be a good option. Out of the three (Ake, Christensen and Zouma) one factor we ought to consider is whether or not they actually want to come here.