Arsenal ready to battle Chelsea for Southampton’s Van Dijk

Having booked their place in the FA Cup final with a win over Manchester City at the weekend, Arsenal are now looking to take on fellow finalists and Premier League leaders Chelsea in the transfer market this summer.

According to reports from The Telegraph, the Gunners have made an approach for Southampton captain and Chelsea target Virgil van Dijk.

The smart money remains on Antonio Conte to land the deal for the former Celtic man, however, the north Londoners are reportedly happy to match any wage offer for the £60m rated defender.

Last summer the 25-year-old, who is out for the season after sustaining an ankle injury in a 3-0 win over Leicester in January, signed a new six-year-deal to make him the club’s highest earner at £70k-a-week.

The Gunners’ defence has been an area of much scrutiny over the past season, however a switch to a back three in their last two outings, including the semi-final, has brought with it successive wins for the fist time since January.