Virgil van Dijk acquisition would be statement of intent from Chelsea
According to the latest reports, Chelsea are in pole position to sign Virgil van Dijk. The acquisition of the defender would lay clear their intent.
With Chelsea inching closer to the Premier League title with each passing game, the summer transfer window is coming into view. Chelsea have a lot of work to do ahead of a packed 2017/18 campaign and they seem to be making significant progress. The highly-coveted Virgil van Dijk is now on the verge of joining the Blues.
According to The Sun, Chelsea have held off fierce competition to land the Southampton man.
"Chelsea are confident they have won the race to land £50million-rated Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk.The Saints have been tempted after Chelsea threw young Denmark centre-half Andreas Christensen into the deal for the Dutch powerhouse."
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Van Dijk has continued on his upwards trajectory since arriving in the Premier League. Having made a name for himself with Celtic, he switched to Southampton two years ago. The Dutchman has proven to be one of the best in the league, although injury has kept him out since January.
Chelsea’s defence has been poor since the turn of the year. They went 11 league games without a clean sheet before the 3-0 win over Everton. The run showed that defensive reinforcements are needed and the acquisition of van Dijk will signal their intent.
At the age of 25, van Dijk is about to hit the prime of his career. A £50 million fee for a world-class defender is not a horrific deal by any stretch of the imagination. Kicking off the summer in such style would suggest to rivals that the Blues are keen to do their business quickly and lethally.
Moreover, the signing of van Dijk prevents him from joining a rival. Nearly every big club has been linked with him, from Arsenal to Real Madrid. Being able to hold off such competition proves that Chelsea are once again a footballing powerhouse.
Antonio Conte arguably needs another couple of big signings if Chelsea are to cope next season. With Champions League football adding a significant chunk to their schedule, squad depth is a must. Adding Virgil van Dijk from the off is a great way to start what should be a very busy summer.