Chelsea up van Dijk bid to £60m

Chelsea are preparing a £60m offer for in demand Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk, in an attempt to get the Dutchman ahead of Premier League rivals Manchester City and Everton, according to reports from the Express.

The Blues, who remain top of the Premier League as we head into 2017, remain keen on adding some more mettle to their back line, despite their sensational form this term.

The former Celtic defender, who is also reportedly a target for former manager Ronald Koeman at Everton, has stood out for the Saints ever since his arrival from Scotland in 2015.

However, the 25-year-old missed his first minutes of Premier League football since making the move south on when he was sent off against West Brom on Saturday having received a second booking, meaning he will miss the meeting with his old boss at Goodison Park on Monday.

Saints boss Claude Puel has stood firm over the Netherlands international’s future, making it clear he intends to keep his man in January, however, a bid of £60m is sure to test the resolve of those at St. Mary’s.

A fee of such magnitude would break the £50m record set for a defender when Chelsea’s David Luiz made the move to Paris Saint-Germain.