According to reports, Premier League defending champions Chelsea are likely to make a formal bid for Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk as the Blues look to strengthen their back line following Saturday’s terrible start to their league campaign. The Dutch enforcer has been of interest to both Liverpool and Chelsea over the summer with no deal materializing.
The 26-year-old had reportedly handed in a transfer request to the Saints for a move out after the club successfully blocked Liverpool’s aggressive pursuit of the player. Chelsea wouldn’t take any back door route, and apparently, are readying a £50 million for the brilliant centre-half.
Despite starting their league campaign without the likes of Eden Hazard and Pedro, the attack was Chelsea’s least of worries in the first game. Their multi-million-pound back-line of David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger found themselves exploited by a Burnley attack time and again. Gary Cahill’s early red card for a reckless challenge pretty much set the tone. Neither were the wing backs able to track down their men on the flank nor did the centre-halves, who lost many aerial duels.
This may mean nothing given it’s only the first game of the season, but losing at the hands of the Clarets at Stamford Bridge, who hadn’t won a single game away from home last season and had sold their best forward in Andre Gray, days before the game, is concerning. Sending Kurt Zouma on loan and selling Nathan Ake to Bournemouth has further worsened things for the Italian manager.
Undoubtedly, Van Dijk could be a brilliant addition for them, or any side, given the specific skill set of a centre half he possesses, but Chelsea are likely to face a stiff competition from Liverpool too, who have their own defensive worries for the past three seasons. Chelsea could boast of more financial resources until now but not for long as the Reds are expecting a lump sum fee for the sale of Coutinho. Either way, Southampton remains the winner here.
Van Dijk’s best season came in the last term where he could play only 21 games owing to a season ending injury, but did just enough to show his abilities from the back. At 193cm, Van Dijk is tremendously effective from aerial duels and a very intelligent reader of the game. He also possesses brilliant dribbling abilities and could give Chelsea a whole new attacking dimension.
Following a poor start, Chelsea faces the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Leicester City and Arsenal in the next four games and manager Antonio Conte might need Van Dijk’s services more than ever.
