Arsenal have endured a varied start to the new Premier League season, starting the campaign with a dramatic 4-3 victory at home to Leicester City before losing away to Stoke City last weekend- raising the pressure ahead of their third game this season.

The Gunners face a difficult trip this weekend as they travel to Anfield to tackle Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who are fresh from sealing their spot in the Champions League group stages, and Arsene Wenger’s side need a response.

Unfortunately, for all of the positive work that Arsenal did in the early exchanges in the transfer window the Gunners have slipped off the pace and are left with areas that still need improving- notably in central defence.

The sale of Gabriel Paulista to Valencia has left Arsenal’s options at centre-back depleted, which is a major concern as the Gunners will have to fight on a variety of fronts this season, but the good news is that there’s still time for movement in the transfer market.

Southampton ace Virgil Van Dijk is still vying for a move as the market enters it’s latter stages and the Dutch international would certainly be a top-class addition to the Gunners ranks, providing a huge boost in the first-choice line-up alongside Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny.

That would give Arsenal one of the strongest defensive lines in the Premier League and the trio of Per Mertesacker, Rob Holding and Calum Chambers would provide depth, as would Sead Kolasinac, Nacho Monreal and Mohamed Elneny if required.

The signing of Van Dijk would also be a major statement of intent on Arsenal’s part, as the Dutch ace has been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea this season, and the Gunners flexing their financial muscles would show that they mean business.

Having already added Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette to their ranks, Arsenal have bolstered their strength in other areas of the team but the defensive line is not as strong as it needs to be if Arsenal have any chance of ending their long wait for a Premier League crown.

Van Dijk would cost a heavy price but Arsenal have shown they have the money to spend after eyeing moves for Thomas Lemar and Kylian Mbappe this summer, both of whom would cost a hell of a lot more than Southampton’s experienced defender.

Arsenal must know they will have to work hard to acquire the Dutchman when the other two clubs after Van Dijk (Liverpool and Chelsea) can both offer Champions League football this season while of course Arsenal will play in the Europa League in a group along with Borisov, Cologne and Crvena Zvezda from Belarus, Serbia and Germany