What’s the story?
Virgil van Dijk has reportedly opted to join Chelsea in the summer according to Daily Mail. The central defender was being chased by Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool as well.
Southampton defender is currently injured and unlikely to return before the end of the season. This means that he could have already played his last game for the Saints.
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Chelsea have been on top of the Premier League table since October end and have been very solid at the back. David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta have been on top of their game and have made sure that The Blues' don't concede much.
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However, Antonio Conte is not ready to reply on the same back three next season as well. He wants to sign a top defender and has asked the board to get the Southampton star.
Van Dijk was in top form before he got injured. His performances for the Saints attracted interest for him from around Europe. But the player opted to stay at the club for the season and rejected all moves in January.
The heart of the matter
Manchester United were keen on signing the Southampton defender in the summer, but the player has reportedly opted to snub a move to Old Trafford. Pep Guardiola was also said to be interested in getting the centre back but wasn't ready to pay what Southampton demanded for him.
Van Dijk reportedly likes the way Conte's team plays at the back right now and wants to work with him. He believes that he will get to learn a lot from the Italian and develop into a better defender.
Chelsea were among the clubs that launched bids for the defender in January. The Dutchman opted to remain at the club until the end of the season, but a move to Stamford Bridge is now on the cards.
What’s next?
Southampton has slapped a price tag of £60 million for the defender but are now ready to sell him to Chelsea for £50 million. The Blues' are also willing to match the asking price and have reportedly started holding talks with the player.
Author’s Take
Van Dijk would be a tremendous signing for Chelsea, but it will affect the future of Nathan Ake and Andreas Christensen. Both the players have impressed on their loan spells and deserve to be in the main team next season.
