Southampton have come a long way in the last decade and more so in the last six years. Their continuous progress to the next level over the years is remarkable despite so many changes in both the backroom and the dressing room. Their best players and managers have been poached by the bigger clubs on a regular basis in the last few years but that hasn’t stopped them from becoming a Premier League regular and now the Saints are marching on in Europe as well.
Southampton fans won’t be at all surprised with one of their key players Virgil van Dijk attracting substantial interest from the bigger clubs. Both Liverpool and Manchester United are interested in the Dutchman as per reports. Southampton fans should not be too worried about it though as the club has always replaced their departed players with capable ones and there is no reason why they cannot do that again if the Dutchman leaves.
Here are three defenders they could look for in order to replace van Dijk if the Dutchman really leaves the club.
Scott Dann
Scott Dann has been one of the best defenders in the Premier League outside the big clubs on a consistent basis since he joined Crystal Palace in January 2014 from Blackburn Rovers. With his huge frame of 6 ft 5 inches, the Englishman is a menace in the air and has a rock-solid presence at the backline.
Dann now serves the Eagles with the armband on and is a natural leader. He would be an excellent partner to Portuguese stopper Jose Fonte at the heart of Southampton defence. However, Southampton hardly sign any player with no resale value and at the age of 29, Dann might not be fancied by the club who have been very shrewd in the transfer market over the years.
Mamadou Sakho
It is sad to see a player of Mamadou Sakho’s calibre not getting any playing time for Liverpool after his feud with the manager Jürgen Klopp. Sakho’s time seems up at Anfield and Southampton can use this situation to their advantage. The Frenchman has plenty of reputation both at club level and at international level and needs to recover that.
Southampton should give him the chance to save his career. Under his fellow countryman Claude Puel, Sakho’s move to Southampton makes sense for both parties.
Michael Keane
Once being shipped out by Manchester United for not being good enough, Michael Keane is proving his boyhood club wrong. Now in the Premier League with newly-promoted Burnley, Keane has been excellent at the back for the Clarets this season attracting an enormous interest from the bigger clubs.
Southampton will be a big step up for the 23-year-old where he will get regular game time and European exposure. The young defender has a very bright future ahead of him.
