Southampton’s summer has been dominated by speculation surrounding a Dutch international centre-back – but not necessarily Lazio’s Wesley Hoedt.
Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger may have just left one in the eye for ‘player power’.
Despite talismanic centre-back Virgil van Dijk going on strike and handing in a transfer request to force through a move to a bonafide Premier League giant, Krueger insisted that The Saints will not be forced into a sale.
“Virgil is not for sale in this window”, he said in quotes reported by The Guardian, aiming to make the statement loud and clear that Southampton are no longer a ‘selling club’.
Van Dijk is likely to test the club’s resolve until the final seconds of the transfer window but it appears that, regardless of whether he stays or goes, another Dutch defender will be arriving at St Mary’s this summer.
According to Il Messaggero, Southampton made a second bid worth £15.4 million for Lazio centre-back Wesley Hoedt on Monday. And it appears that the deal is progressing at a rate of knots.
Double Dutch
Because Il Messaggero are now reporting that Hoedt has bid farewell to his Lazio team-mates having agreed a contract worth around £30,000-a-week at Southampton. As such, the move should be confirmed by the end of the weekend at the very latest.
Hoedt has not always been first-choice during his two years at Lazio after arriving from AZ Alkmaar but, after a sluggish start, made great strides under Simone Inzaghi last season.
The 23-year-old, a four-time Dutch international, helped Lazio finish fifth in Serie A and reach the Coppa Italia final, where they lost 2-0 to Juventus.
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