Liverpool failed to secure their priority target of the summer transfer window in Southampton captain Virgil van Dijk, leaving supporters hugely frustrated.
The Reds ended deadline day having made five additions, with Dominic Solanke, Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to be joined by Naby Keita in 2018.
But with Jurgen Klopp setting his sights on a new leading centre-back, the absence of Van Dijk on Merseyside come 11pm on Thursday was hugely disappointing.
Despite Liverpool’s willingness to spend over £70 million on the Netherlands international, no deal transpired.
And with strengthening Klopp’s defence arguably the biggest priority of the window, supporters were rightly angered as the Reds fell short.
Most were left frustrated…
We didn't make a bid for Virgil Van Dijk.
Just let that sink in.
— Ben (@ben_blogs) August 31, 2017
Is Van Dijk the only centre back in the world? I'm so confused why all our eggs are in one basket.
— – (@AnfieldRd96) August 31, 2017
Absolutely criminal not signing a CB. If we knew VvD was dead and buried, we should had a back up ages ago. More Lovren ?
— Dinesh Kumar (@DHardayal) August 31, 2017
“We were so close, within touching distance of getting VVD in June, until whoever it was, let the cat out the bag and the press got hold of it. This is why I am angry we lost this signing through some silly mistake which has proven costly to us.”
– Maria on the forums.
I'll blame Klopp for every goal we concede this season. No excuse for not singing a CB. None. All those eggs in the VVD basket is daft. #LFC
— Mike (@aguyiusedtoknow) August 31, 2017
https://twitter.com/TheEngancheRole/status/903337180323471360
https://twitter.com/TheEngancheRole/status/903339650915328000
We had three months to sort things with Saints to sign VVD and couldn't, so what makes us think they'll sell in the middle of the season?
— Sam McGuire (@SamMcGuire90) August 31, 2017
“At the start of this transfer window I’d have called anyone who stated that we’d still have Lovren as a starting CB at the end of this transfer window utterly delusional.
This world it appears is a twisted place.”
– EdWood on the forums.
https://twitter.com/Coltman_S/status/903366111923757056
https://twitter.com/Sennesation/status/903365985075376129
So we knew we weren't getting Van Dijk months ago? Why no alternatives? Amateurish by @LFC #FSGOUT
— Cameron Trundle (@cameront96) August 31, 2017
Kmt what a FAILURE of a window this is…. no Van Dijk, fair enough… but then no alternative? We have only 3 CBs at LFC smdh
— Top G (@Junior_mafiia) August 31, 2017
However, some took a more positive view…
New window means the slate is clean with us and Southampton for Van Dijk imo.. January could be a big month. Roll with what we have til then
— Sam H (@Sammm_lfc) August 31, 2017
Prepared to pay 70m for Van Dijk and some say LFC didn't do enough? Has the world gone completely mad.
— keith costigan (@KeithCostigan) August 31, 2017
“Overpriced. Pointless exercise. Nothing much else to say. Joe Gomez is now my hero!”
– spizfromoz on the forums.
Gutted about VVD, guess we go with defence that got 4th, qualified for champions league & has kept 7 clean sheets in last 9 prem games #LFC
— DavidJohn (@DavidJhn77) August 31, 2017
“It’s fine. We’ll get him in January before the CL knock-outs so the treble is still on.”
– ShadesOfRed on the forums.
Know what, it's possible to be fairly underwhelmed by #LFC's transfer dealings and also to be quite satisfied that the sky isn't falling in.
— Neil Scott (@66zimbo) August 31, 2017
Even without VVD, our squad is good enough to challenge for the title this year. Screw the negativity, I’m backing our club to win ??
— The LFC Couch (@LFCCouch) August 31, 2017
At least we're not Chelsea
— Jeff Goulding (@ShanklysBoys1) August 31, 2017
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