Arsenal: Aim for Virgil van Dijk; take van Dijk lite

Unai Emery has stated that Arsenal are searching for a player with the same impact as Virgil van Dijk. That is precisely what they should be doing, even if the eventual signing does not have the same effect as the Liverpool centre-half.

Arsenal are in the process of building a title-contending squad. That is what Ivan Gazidis said when Arsene Wenger resigned. It has been the everlasting slogan of the Kroenke era, however ridiculous it may sound. It is the aim of Unai Emery as Wenger’s successor.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Season in review; Summer window looms

And this week, Emery has been discussing how he, Raul Sanllehi and the rest of the club will go about assembling a squad worthy of rivalling the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool. Emery stated that the blend of developing talent and signing top-class players is what is required:

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"“I think we can improve first, by spending money to achieve players. In the past the club have done great work in watching players, finding and signing young players and developing our players in the academy. I have big respect for our work, for our players in the academy. I want to develop the players here – giving them progress to achieve something at a big club like we are. We can also achieve [buy] some players who are in other teams, who can come here and give us this performance – like Van Dijk with Liverpool.”"

The example of Virgil van Dijk is a pertinent one. There are very few signings that I can think of that have had the same immediate and significant impact that van Dijk has had at Anfield over the past year. The Dutch centre-half has revolutionised that defence and team. His £75 million price now seems like a bargain.

Perhaps the most positive element of aiming for transfers of the impact of van Dijk is that if the player is not quite as effective as van Dijk, that does not mean that they are a bad player. In fact, van Dijk-lite would still be an extremely good signing, even if it cost north of £50 million. Just imagine Arsenal with a van Dijk-lite centre-half.

And this is the key issue regarding the summer recruitment. Arsenal must focus on quality, not quantity. Yes, they have plenty of starting holes to fill, from left-back through to right wing. But actually, there are numbers at every position, perhaps other than the wide ones. Even centre-back, which many would argue is the greatest need this summer, has five or six options.

Admittedly, not all of these depth players are the most convincing, but it is better for Emery to roll with the punches at some positions to focus on bringing in just one or two top-tier recruits. Resources will be limited. Gearing them towards high-end talent, rather than spreading it out across the whole squad, is what the team requires this summer.

Arsenal should be aiming for van Dijk with almost every signing that they make this summer. That way, even if they miss, they will still be signing an extremely useful player. Quality, not quantity is required.