5 Premier League stars that would make Barcelona a better team

#4 Virgil van Dijk (Southampton)

Virgil Van Dijk is ideal for Barcelona

Another transfer saga in the summer of 2017 involved Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk who was linked with a host of Premier League clubs, eventually staying put at Southampton who understandably played hardball in the transfer market.

But why are so many clubs after the 6,4" centre-back? Well, what's not to like? Terrific in the air, reads the game well to make interceptions and rarely loses his focus on the pitch (even if he has lost it off the pitch in the past year due to links to top clubs).

Barcelona would do well to target him, though. Firstly, he is very good on the ball, averaging a passing accuracy in the high 80s. Despite his tall stature, Van Dijk can bring the ball out of defence and advance it forward.

Virgil van Dijk: Won more aerial duels per game (4.7) than any other Premier League defender last season pic.twitter.com/PEYFYrRZOS

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) August 7, 2017

Van Dijk's passing range is also quite good for a centre-back. He's not just a traditional big man at the back to get past but has the intelligence to play passes to find teammates even at the other end of the pitch.

For a team like Barcelona that now thrives on possession, Van Dijk is the ideal candidate. He's 26 and still has a few years to really hit his peak. Barcelona are also weak at defending set pieces and his presence would vastly improve their defence.

Get him in early (Saints could lower the price if he didn't go to an immediate Premier League rival) to train him the Barcelona way with Gerard Pique mentoring him and the club would have one of the best centre-backs in the world on their books in a couple of years.