It seems like an eternity ago since Virgil van Dijk was strutting his stuff in the green & white hoops.

A lot has changed since the Dutchman was part of a solid centre back pairing alongside Jason Denayer but what hasn’t is his obvious talent.

The player was so good in the SPFL we regularly joked bout him smoking a cigar while going about his defensive duties domestically.

We couldn’t have praised the defender anymore highly, but that meant nothing to the Scottish or English press who cast him as a guy who was standing out just because of the league he was playing in.

Fast forward to now and bhoy, oh bhoy are they eating their words. Since the player left for Southampton for around 13 million his ability in the Premier League sees him placed among the best defenders plying their trade down south.

What does that mean for Celtic?

With clubs so high on Virgil down there and with an acceptance among many that Virgil will move on either January or next year, a bidding war is likely to ensue.

Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier thinks that Southampton will get £50 million for the defender. This may be a bit of hyperbolic statement from a man who supports the St Mary’s club, but many feel it won’t be far off that mark.

The sell on fee Celtic have into the deal that took van Dijk to England is reportedly 10-15% which means the Parkhead club are in for a decent payday when the Dutchman moves.

The fee will be high because the defender hasn’t long put pen to paper on a 6 year deal at Southampton so any club who does want his services will have to pay handsomely.

It should be a happy new year for Celtic when that deal finally goes through.


STILL PLENTY OF TIME TO GET SORTED FOR CHRISTMAS

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