Gunners plotting move for Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk.
Arsenal are already planning to move decisively in the January transfer window to solve their lack of defensive depth, report the Mail, with the club eyeing up a £7m move for central defender Virgil van Dijk of SPL champions Celtic.
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Van Dijk has impressed for Celtic since arriving from Eredivisie outfit Groningen in 2013, becoming a solid and consistent presence at the heart of the Hoops’ defence as they’ve dominated the Scottish Premier League since Rangers’ financial woes landed them in the lower divisions.
It has been a difficult start to the season under new manager Ronny Deila, however, with the former Stromsgodset boss failing to emulate Neil Lennon as Celtic have fallen off the pace in the SPL following shock defeats to the likes of Hamilton, whilst they were also knocked out of the Champions League twice – beaten by Maribor after their controversial reinstatement despite a thrashing at the hands of Legia Warsaw.
With no Champions League money in the coffers, Celtic may have to sell a key player in January, with van Dijk looking the most likely candidate to follow the likes of Fraser Forster, Gary Hooper and Vincent Wanyama in making the move south of the border to the Premier League, with Arsenal looking likely considering their desperation to secure cover for centre back pairing Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.