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No, I don’t but perhaps they see strategic partnerships as a better way forward rather than multi club ownership, which can cause unwanted problems.
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It has been said that I do have a face like a hamburger.
But no, your claims regarding Virgil are untrue.
Hawkins saying weve agreed personal terms with Mbaye, and hes seen as very reliable for French football so have opened an Mbaye thread
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You be hearing from my lawyers, scoundrel.
Summary of League-Leading Placements
According to season-end data compiled by Whoscored and Squawka here are Van Dijk’s placement the primary metrics for central defenders in the Prem
- 1st in Aerial Duels Won
- 1st in Total Clearances
- 1st in Headed Clearances
- 1st in Fewest Dribbled Past (among high-minute CBs)
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Must resist …
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I don’t think it is a case of keeping him, he has made his mind up to go to Italy .
He is imperial in every sense.
He all he wants but till we agree to it nothing he can do.
Here’s Squawka’s ranking of CBs last season:
Who has been the best Premier League centre-back so far this season?
There is a lot of conversation over the quality of centre-backs, and what qualities they need. While defending is the most important aspect, there is now a need for centre-backs to be strong on the ball. So who has the best combination?
We used our Squawka Score to pick out the best 10 of the season, among players with at least 1,710 minutes played in the Premier League.
The 2025-26 season is over, and Ruben Dias reigns as the best centre-back in the Premier League by the Squawka Score. The gap between Dias and second-placed Gabriel is close, however. They were the only players with Scores of 70%+.
1. Ruben Dias (Man City) – 75%
2. Gabriel (Arsenal) – 73%
3. Marc Guehi (Man City) – 69%
4. Jaka Bijol (Leeds) – 68%
5. William Saliba (Arsenal) – 66%
6. Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool) – 65%
7. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – 65%
8. Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea) – 64%
9. Murillo (Nottingham Forest) – 64%
10. Michael Keane (Everton) – 63%
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Well this has just thrown the entire process into question, frankly.
You’ll be pleased to know that Analytical Strength Index ranks Dias 5th.
It ranks Van Dijk 55th.
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Even if we take the Squawka stuff at face value, Virgil Van Dijk is a top 10 central defender in the Prem, which is not bad at all for his advanced years!
The tool that ranks VVD at 55th - nah, imnorravindat!
Now we have got him some help he should be able to see out his contract playing at the high level we need him to be, using his experience to bring the new breed through, while hopefully riding off into the sunset with meaningful silverware added.
I don’t see him staying with us beyond this last year of his deal, but I do see an easier league in the sunshine as he winds it down.
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Oh my word, I’ve just noticed they’ve got Konate 6th 
Wait is this ranked by how good they were for the opposition?
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Thats the issue with stats, they don’t measure brain fart moments 
Which both Ibou and Virg were guilty of last season and even moreso the times they were out of position or not covering adequately.
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I went to Squawka purely because the other poster cited them as definitive. I’d be minded to rate Van Dijk closer to that secondary site.
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