Southampton will make a move for the £10m-rated defender Virgil van Dijk after he plays in Tuesday’s Champions League play-off for Celtic against Malmo.
Ronald Koeman, the Southampton manager, has made the addition of another centre-half a priority, after the failure to turn Toby Alderweireld’s loan into a permanent transfer and the long-term knee injury Florin Gardos suffered in pre-season.
He has taken Steven Caulker on a season-long loan from Queens Park Rangers but his other options in central defence extend no further than José Fonte and Maya Yoshida. For Koeman, the numbers do not add up, particularly if he continues to play with three at the back, as he did in the 0-0 draw at Watford on Sunday.
Koeman tried to sign Van Dijk last summer and he will make what he hopes is a decisive move after Celtic’s game in Sweden. Celtic are 3-2 up after the first leg and have said there was no chance of Van Dijk leaving before the European tie but Southampton will test their resolve after it.
They believe the 24-year-old wants to come to the Premier League and he would not be cup-tied for the Europa League group phase were Southampton to qualify. They face Midtjylland in the play-off second leg on Thursday; the first leg finished 1-1.
Koeman, has made it plain that he will refuse any offers for Sadio Mané and Victor Wanyama, or any of his other key players so late in the window. Mané has been linked with Manchester United but the forward appears to accept he is staying. Wanyama has emerged as a target for Tottenham Hotspur but, whether he likes it or not, it appears he will be retained.
