Virgil van Dijk: The Elite Celtic Defender Who Almost Joined Crystal Palace
Virgil van Dijk was an exceptional talent during his time at Celtic. The Parkhead faithful quickly recognized the Dutch defender’s class after his arrival from FC Groningen.
Van Dijk stood out for his composure on the ball, ability to handle pressure, and strength in challenges. His game intelligence made him a unique figure in Celtic’s defensive line.
After two impressive seasons, he secured a big-money move to Southampton, becoming one of Celtic’s most lucrative sales. Now a star at Liverpool, Neil Warnock has shared the surprising reason Crystal Palace passed on signing him in 2014.
Why Crystal Palace Rejected van Dijk
Before his rise at Southampton and eventual transfer to Liverpool, Crystal Palace had the chance to sign van Dijk—but opted against it for a bizarre reason.
Warnock revealed on talkSPORT:
“I desperately needed a centre-half at Palace, and we were tipped off about a player in Scotland. Ronnie Jepson went to scout him at Celtic and came back saying, ‘Gaffer, he’s a good player—we could get him for £3-4m.’
“But when I spoke to the chairman, the club’s data analysts vetoed the move, claiming he ‘wasn’t quick enough.’ I argued, ‘He doesn’t need to be rapid—his reading of the game is so good he can stroll through matches!’ But they refused, and he ended up at Southampton before becoming a Liverpool legend.”
John Park’s Early Doubts About van Dijk
Celtic signed van Dijk from Groningen for just £2.5m in 2013—a bargain in hindsight. However, former scout John Park initially had concerns about his attitude.
Ex-teammate Charlie Mulgrew recalled:
“I remember John Park saying, ‘There are question marks over his attitude.’ He was confident, sure, but never to the point of being arrogant.”
Despite early skepticism, van Dijk proved himself as one of Celtic’s finest defenders before reaching even greater heights in the Premier League.
