Dutch coach feels youngster shouldn’t make Premier League move.
Ajax manager Frank De Boer has advised promising Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk to reject the advances of Arsenal and Manchester United, according to the London Evening Standard.
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The 23-year-old is regarded as a highly promising talent after his fine form in the Scottish Premiership, which has seen him linked strongly with a move to the Gunners in particular, with Arsene Wenger known to be on the lookout for reinforcements in defence in the upcoming January transfer window.
However, it may be that the two Premier League giants will be unsuccessful in their attempts to lure van Dijk to England this season, with De Boer advising the player to take his time before rushing into a switch to a bigger club.
Van Dijk only moved to Celtic from Eredivisie side Groningen last summer, and De Boer believes he would be wise to stay with the Scottish giants and win more honours where he is, as it would be a good experience for hiim before moving on and trying a new challenge.
Still, the Ajax boss conceded it is no surprise to see him attracting interest from clubs like Arsenal and United.
“It is no surprise to me that he is being linked with clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United,” he said.
“I am sure that he could be a success for any club in Europe but Celtic will know exactly what they have and no coach will ever want to sell in January.
“It is such a difficult window to sign players that you don’t want to lose your best one during it.
“It would be good for him to win trophies in the SPL first before he thinks about anything else – it will all be a part of his education.”