The Southampton centre back has been courting high profile attention this season, and could well be on his way in the summer.
Southampton manager Claude Puel and Virgil van Dijk
While Southampton are on course to finish eighth in the Premier League considering the games in hand they have on current occupants West Bromwich Albion, next season they could well be one key player down.
Centre back Virgil van Dijk has been consistently excellent for the Saints, and has courted the attention of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton and Manchester City, according to The Mirror.
It seems highly likely that the Netherlands international will depart the club in the summer, probably for over £50m, and Southampton will have to get a replacement. Here are three possible options the club could look into.
Michael Keane
We’ll start with the most obvious choice Southampton could make, and that’s with Burnley centre back Michael Keane. The 24-year-old has been phenomenal this season for the Clarets, to the point he’s burst onto the England scene, making his debut against Germany in March. According to reports from Sky Sports, Keane wants out of Burnley in the summer – irrespective of whether the club remain in the Premier League or fall into the Championship – and given his young age and experience in the top flight, Keane would probably be the best replacement for van Dijk that Southampton could make.
Lejeune against Atletico Madrid
Florian Lejeune
Southampton have a knack of unearthing left-field players that escape the radar of many, so that’s why Lejeune makes this list. The 25-year-old French centre back was actually signed by Manchester City in 2015, but didn’t appear once for the club – he was loaned to Girona (whom he was signed from) before La Liga side Eibar paid a paltry £1.2m for his services from City when Pep Guardiola arrived, as reports the Manchester Evening News. That move could prove to be a mistake as Lejeune has been one of the better defenders in La Liga this campaign, and if a move to Southampton materialises and he shows the same form, he’ll be sold for a lot more than £1.2m in the future.
Federico Ceccherini
Similarly to Lejuene, Ceccherini is included as he may have escaped the attention of many, and would represent another hidden gem uncovered by Southampton. The 24-year-old has shone for Crotone in Serie A despite their seemingly inevitable relegation, and a move to a bigger club – either in Italy or abroad – surely beckons. Given his young age as well, the potential resale factor could be something that catches the eye of interested clubs from afar, and while he may not be at the standard van Dijk is immediately, he could well reach that level going by performances this season.
Southampton’s Maya Yoshida and Virgil van Dijk after the match
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