In an annoyingly frequent occurrence for Gunners fans, Chelsea are reportedly close to beating Arsenal to the punch once again by signing one of the leading lights in the Premier League.
British media outlet, The Sun, reports:
Chelsea beat Arsenal to £50million Virgil van Dijk after Blues offer Andreas Christensen to Southampton in return
Chelsea’s defense has been solid already this season but they have been arguably putting square pegs into round holes with some selections. As adaptable as he is Cesar Azpilicueta is a full back in the role of a centre back in this current 3-4-3 formation.
But Virgil van Dijk would be a superb addition to the side – a specialist in the position and a man who exudes class.
The 25-year-old Dutch international, who has played 12 times for his country since his debut in 2015 has been an absolute sensation in England following his move from Celtic a couple of seasons ago.
Bought in to replace Toby Alderweireld, Van Dijk has arguably been even better than his predecessor with 63 towering performances and six goals scored over two seasons on the south coast.
Chelsea would not only be adding aerial presence and more ball-playing prowess to their defence if they brought Van Dijk in. They would also be adding goals to a side which is already full of them.
In all Van Dijk seems like the perfect defender for the Premier League and in the best moment of his career. At 25 he has another seven years at the top level – an age in football terms – and his potential longevity at Chelsea would offset the huge fee for a defender.
The Dutchman moved to Southampton for around £13m in 2015 so Southampton would be making a fortune on him should a move go ahead – a seems likely at this stage.