News today that Newcastle are looking at new targets to potentially bring into the club in January, and one of those is Groningen defender Virgil van Dijk, the 21 year-old 6’4″ defender.
Virgil van Dijk – Newcastle linked strongly with top youngster
Graham Carr has been busy again and Graham and his staff have already watched the Dutch U21 center-back a few times this season, and that news is coming from the Dutch press.
Virgil is one of the players we were linked with in the summer, and we think the Newcastle Board have had a fresh think on new targets, after being rather unsuccessful in bringing in our other targets to Newcastle over the summer.
The player is only 21, and therefore would be more of a risk than established players like Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa and Douglas, who are other targets the Tyneside club were linked with over the summer months.
He would also come cheaper than those three of course, and it’s a balancing act whether to pay more for established stars, or take a chance on a player who is not yet fully established or developed as a footballer.
Certainly van Dijk would be given time to develop at Newcastle, if the powers that be think he’s good enough to be brought to Tyneside.
The player was born in Breda, Holland and joined Groningen from Willem in the summer of 2010, and since then he has played a total of 35 times for Groningen and scored 5 goals, and he only turned 21 in July.
What do you think?
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34 comments so far
Kyo
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Comment #1cool i hope we sign him before the window ends
toonarmydownsouth
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Comment #2Weve beenlinked with this lad for about a year now, journos just rehashing storys?
jesperfuglsang
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Comment #3I don’t know much about him but he fits our profile; where does he play in the back?
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:09 AM
Comment #4These last 2 or 3 stories have been of cruel and mischievous intent. I’ve only narrowly avoided clinical depression by going into complete denial about the just closed transfer window.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Comment #5It’s going to seem to take forever to get to January, isn’t it?
Optimistic head on – I do believe we will get some people in the next window. Some of our targets are nearing the end of their contracts and therefore will be available cheaper. We’ve had to wait longer, but in the long run we will get the needed players.
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:14 AM
Comment #6Ed is doubtless busily typing away right now at a galling story of a host of top young strikers we’ll be in for in January.
AndyNUFC
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Comment #7To be fair at full back we’re more than covered, and have willo, perchinio and good for centre cover. Ibiza made a good comment last article that we will get a much better deal getting players for Jan being in the end of their contracts. We seem to buy to develop or when players are about to reach their potential, so I think maybe one of these 3 including Douglas mbiwa or Debuchy for peanuts will give us a great chance in the seasons end for low risk on fair deals. In Carr we trust!
jesperfuglsang
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Comment #8And while Ed types how about a Mew questionnaire? who’s up?
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Comment #9Andy….That’s the way I see it, I do get the point though of it we paid the “going rate” and got them in the summer, come end of the season we may have done better for having a years worth of service rather than half. I suppose the argument is get more players if we pay less in the long run. I guess there is no right or wrong view on it, just personal opinion.
Expect lots of fence sitting from me today – need a day off. Everyone is right and all opinions are valid….but for today only – enjoy 🙂
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:21 AM
Comment #10Jesper…I’ll give it a go, my knowledge on mew is rather limited though. Seeing as I don’t know what that is 🙂
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Comment #11Yeah, I do in fact agree that what you and Ibiza say Andy, is certainly on the cards. I’m just getting the shit out.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Comment #12jawball….The good news is i’ve been stocking up on peanuts over the summer and plan to ship them over to Ashley, so no excuses in January – we’re all set for incoming players 😉
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Comment #13So fellow supporters and curmudgeons alike, anyone woken up on the wrong side of bed this morning and spoiling for a scrap? 😉
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #14Good morning Xena….No scraps today – it’s all about peace and harmony. As I’m stuck behind my laptop I’m hugging sheets of A4 as it’s not practical to have a tree by my desk
jesperfuglsang
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Comment #15A little bit about Mew it is then 😉 Mew is a Danish quintet they are what you could call space pop innovators. They hit it bif time in 2003 with their album Frengers and later in 2005 with And the Glass Handed Kites. They opened in Britain on some venues for the Editors back in 2006 and was the supporting act for the Bloc Party on their US tour 🙂
The questionnaire is as following:
a) First song you just went and downloaded of Mew 😉
b) Favorite Mew song?
c) Favorite Mew album?
d) Most underrated Mew song?
Off you go and research 😉 lol
Tommyy
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Comment #16If we look at it in the long term, what is one or two seasons of mediocrity to the management? Possibly placement money and maybe one or two players leaving ( for big money which will be reinvested ).
Yet if we are getting these young talented players in during these one or two seasons, in 3 or 4 seasons we will be back up there and even stronger.
I guess if we look at it optimistically it’s a win win situation and eventually we will achieve our champions league goal, albeit with a couple of mediocre seasons (by last terms standards) inbetween. It will be progression, but not immediately visible progression. Which costs a lot of money and can easily backfire (Villa, Leeds, Boro, Southampton) we’ve seen the smaller clubs try it before and it goes tits up without the proper planning and infrastructure.
We may be slow but we’re steady and stable. The tortoise If you will.
jesperfuglsang
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Comment #17Which Ruddy is that? Ruddy Jiz?
jesperfuglsang
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Comment #18I’ll get the questionnaire started as always 😉
a) didn’t need to download any, but If I had to I woud probably download Am I Why? No
b) The Zookeeper’s Boy and Comforting Sounds
c) And the Glass Handed Kits
d) Apocalypso
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Comment #19Tommy….Pretty accurate assessment. I suppose there are risks which ever path you take, Ashley is taking the results risk rather than the financial one. I suppose I am happier with the current risk as I don’t think we’ll fall too far off the pace, in fact, I think top 6 is very much achievable this season.
Jesper…..I will return my homework later on today. I also got you an apple, not that i’m trying to be the teachers pet or anything
jesperfuglsang
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Comment #20Ibiza…but you are 😉 lol
…I will expect nothing less from you 🙂 now off you go….on a second thought you can stay 🙂 lol
jesperfuglsang
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:44 AM
Comment #21I’ll get the rest of the gang up to speed later on (…or is the clique 😉 I forget) lol
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Comment #22Jesper…..
a) Just downloaded – Am I Why? No
b) The Zookeeper’s Boy and Comforting Sounds
c) And the Glass Handed Kits
d) Apocalypso
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Comment #23Oh wow, look at that – same answers 🙂
jesperfuglsang
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Comment #24Ibiza…that won’t fly my friend 😉
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Comment #25The Tortoise, that is a good analogy even if Jackie Milburn is spinning in his grave. Hardly been our style in the past.
jesperfuglsang
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Comment #26Ibiza…and I fouled ya the song is called Am I Wry? No 😉
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Comment #27Jesper…Come on now, is it not fair to assume they would be my genuine answers even if we know I’m talking through my backside?
P.S…New thread 😉
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:52 AM
Comment #28Dirty trick.
jesperfuglsang
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:52 AM
Comment #29Okay maybe I am a bit wry 😉 lol
Vest
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Comment #30In Carr we trust ! ! ! !
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Sep 13, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Comment #31You’re definitely a bit something…no doubt there 🙂
deeeeeeano
Sep 13, 2012 at 12:59 PM
Comment #32Anyone saw him play, sounds like a great prospect and makes sense as he won’t be cup tied for Europe where our other targets will be
AndyMac
Sep 13, 2012 at 2:35 PM
Comment #33“He would also come cheaper than those three of course, and it’s a balancing act whether to pay more for established stars, or take a chance on a player who is not yet fully established or developed as a footballer”
If his contract’s running out he’ll be on the plane to the Bargain Basement Arena quicker than you can say “skinflint” 🙂
AndyMac
Sep 13, 2012 at 2:40 PM
Comment #34Tommy says:
“If we look at it in the long term, what is one or two seasons of mediocrity to the management? Possibly placement money and maybe one or two players leaving ( for big money which will be reinvested ). Yet if we are getting these young talented players in during these one or two seasons, in 3 or 4 seasons we will be back up there and even stronger.”
By then our current crop of stars including HBA, Cabaye and Tiote will either have been sold or another three/four years older ? So we’ll be looking to replace those players with newer ones and so it goes on…..
Bottom line is that three £5-6m purchases this summer could have transformed this side into potential CL qualifiers.