‘Everybody looked at him’… Gary McAllister surprised Arsenal never tried to sign £75m star

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Gary McAllister has expressed his surprise that Arsenal never made a move for Virgil van Dijk before he arrived in the Premier League, insisting that all of the big clubs had the Dutchman on their radar.

Virgil van Dijk has undoubtedly been one of the greatest defenders the Premier League has seen. The 32-year-old helped elevate Liverpool into title contenders following his £75 million move from Southampton.

Few could have imagined just how good van Dijk would become. Liverpool have been vindicated for breaking the world record for a fee paid for a defender.

Gary McAllister expected Arsenal may make move for Virgil van Dijk while he was at Celtic

However, it was obvious that he was a special talent while he was at Southampton. And for those who had seen him at Celtic, his potential was clear.

Gary McAllister was one of those who saw the defender playing for the Hoops. And speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, he suggested that he expected one of the Premier League’s heavyweights to take him from Parkhead.

“I watch Celtic quite a lot, the season he was up at Celtic, doing the TV, and he was way above the levels up there. But the thing up at Celtic, he was outstanding in the European games. I was really surprised that Liverpool then, or Arsenal or Manchester United [didn’t move]. Everybody looked at him – and it was only Southampton,” he said.

Liverpool skipper probably wouldn’t change a thing

It would be interesting to know how history would have played out differently had van Dijk gone elsewhere. He signed for Southampton in the summer before Arsenal finished second to Leicester City in the Premier League.

The next few years were huge disappointments for the Gunners. Arsene Wenger eventually departed. But Unai Emery was unable to deliver success. And Mikel Arteta needed plenty of time to get Arsenal back at the summit.

So it would not have been an easy environment for van Dijk to come into at that time. And in truth, it is hard to imagine that he would now change anything about his career.