Chelsea To Hijack Liverpool’s Move With £50m Bid For Key Target

Managers are now pressing ahead with their plans for the summer transfer window so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip from around the globe. Today, Chelsea are set to make their move for Virgil van Dijk….

Chelsea are ready to hijack Liverpool’s attempt to sign Virgil van Dijk by submitting a £50m bid for the unsettled Southampton defender, according to a report in the Express.

Van Dijk’s future at St Mary’s has been the subject of speculation all summer with several top Premier League clubs linked with the Dutch international during the early stages of the window.

It initially looked like van Dijk was heading to Anfield after he reportedly choose Liverpool as his preferred destination but that deal was derailed after Southampton reported the Reds to the Premier League for allegedly ‘tapping up’ the defender.

Liverpool were forced to issue a public apology and vowed to end their pursuit but that hasn’t stopped the newspapers from suggesting a move is still on the cards as the Express claim the Merseysiders are poised to launch another move during the closing stages of the summer.

Van Dijk has gone on strike at Southampton after handing in a transfer request so the player is clearly desperate to leave and Anfield is still reportedly the place he wants to go.

However, it appears Liverpool will now face stiff competition as the Express are citing a report from The Times that claims Chelsea are now ready to try and hijack their attempts to land the 26-year-old.

Antonio Conte has already signed German centre-back Antonio Rudiger but the Italian coach has seemingly informed Chelsea chiefs he still wants to sign the van Dijk this summer.

The newspaper says Chelsea are set to test Southampton’s resolve with a formal £50m offer and are hoping to have a deal wrapped-up in time for the start of the new season next weekend.

It’s stated in the report that Chelsea feel given Southampton and Liverpool’s rocky relationship, they are well placed to get a deal agreed as the Saints don’t want to sell another player to the Merseysiders having lost a number of key men in recent years.

READ MORE –> Chelsea transfer news | Liverpool transfer news

It will be interesting to see what happens if Chelsea can get a deal agreed with Southampton but I still have a feeling we’ll see van Dijk eventually join Liverpool later this month.