Celtic manager Ronny Deila says he is “calm” over reports that Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Liverpool, will bid for defender Virgil van Dijk in the January transfer window.
The latest reports suggest Arsene Wenger is plotting a £10m bid for the Dutch centre-back
But Deila told The Scotsman: “Virgil is worth a lot of money but I am very calm [about a January move].
“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.”
Deila says there is no indication that Van Dijk will agitate for a move, despite having to drop him in August when he said transfer speculation was distracting the centre-back.
The Norwegian boss continued: “He’s very happy. I have talked to him. And we are very happy to keep him as well.
“He’s a top player. In my opinion he can become a world-class player. He is a very good player now but he can be world-class.”
Deila urged his centre-back to think carefully before making a move.
He said: “It is not just about money. If a club buys you for a lot of money and really wants you. If they buy you cheap, they maybe think, ‘Okay, I can take a chance on him.’
“For me, Virgil is developing now and taking steps all the time which is very important. I am so happy to have him here.
“He has big games here, in Europe, like Inter Milan. His stats are good and he’s scoring goals, too. He has six.
“He’s getting better in defence. Making less and less mistakes. Sharper, quicker.”
