Celtic manager Ronny Deila told the Daily Mail that despite all the interest in Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk from a host of clubs including Arsenal, who sources say is Wenger’s choice to help solve Arsenals defensive woes the £8 million rated player will be going nowhere in January.
Deila is ready to knock back bids from the Gunners as well as Southampton, Everton, West Brom and Sunderland whose manager Gus Poyet has already got his bid set to present once the transfer window opens.
The 23-year-old Dutch international still has two years remaining on his contract with Celtic and manager Deila says the player will not object to him turning down offers as he is happy with his life in Glasgow.
‘He’s worth a lot of money,’ said the Norwegian manager. ‘But I am very calm. Virgil is enjoying his football, playing well and when I speak with him he’s happy here. That’s positive. He is such an important player for us.’
Celtic takes on Rangers, Dundee and Inter Milan in three important games early in the New Year and the Celtic boss thinks that the exposure van Dijk will get should increase his value in the transfer market.
‘He is a very good player now but he can be a world-class player,’ the Celtic manager opined.
‘That’s a good opportunity to show yourself but you do this over time.
‘Teams now will not see you in one game and then buy you, that’s over.
‘Then see you 10 or 15 times and you need consistency. Your levels have to be very high especially in defence because they need people they can rely on.
‘That’s something I think he has done better now than earlier in the season.’
