Liverpool will face competition from Chelsea in their bid to prise Virgil van Dijk away from Southampton as the Blues ready a £50m offer.
Antonio Conte’s Chelsea side have evidently decided that their abject defensive display on the weekend against Burnley, which saw them ship three goals in the first half, was even worse than Liverpool’s.
Conte is said to be ready to sanction a £50m move for the Dutch defender in a bid to try and turn Southampton’s heads. The Mirror claims that despite the 26-year-old still favouring a switch to Merseyside, Conte and his technical director Michael Emenalo are confident of luring the player to London and will step up their approach “in the coming days.”
The Saints confirmed last week that they had received no formal offers for the player but if Chelsea kick off the bidding war that Southampton so clearly wanted back in July, that could change dramatically.
Liverpool meanwhile have been urged by fans, pundits and ex-players alike to get a move on and just make Southampton an offer they can’t refuse after their own defensive performance on the weekend was almost like watching the footballing equivalent of a car crash.
The Reds conceded twice from set pieces and once from a counter-attack after a lack of aerial presence and discipline at the back once again cost them the chance at three points – a theme that was all too prevalent last campaign.
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