Premier League leaders Chelsea reached the final of the FA Cup over the weekend after beating Tottenham 4-2 in the semi-final at Wembley.

It was billed as the battle of the best two teams in England given their respective league positions, and after two league defeats in August, many wondered whether Antonio Conte’s Blues could respond against an in-form Spurs team.

And they put any doubts to bed with a brace from Willian as well as goals from Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matic securing their passage through to the final, where they will face Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal after they came from behind to beat Manchester City 2-1 in the other semi-final.

With Conte’s men four points clear at the top of the league as well, the double is very much on for the Italian in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge, and although they still have much to play for between now and the end of the campaign, it hasn’t stopped speculation building about who they may look to sign in the summer.

And one named they’ve been linked with in recent days is Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk, who is currently on the sidelines after being ruled out of the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

The Dutch international has been outstanding for the Saints this term, and that has seen interest mount in the 25-year-old, with Conte’s Chelsea one of several top sides linked with the towering centre-back’s services.

However, Conte has reportedly prioritised the signing of van Dijk this summer, and this is what their impenetrable backline could look like if they indeed complete a deal for the Saints ace in the transfer window…

Cesar Azpilicueta

Once again, Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta has been one of the most reliable and accomplished defenders in this season’s Premier League.

The Spain international moved to Stamford Bridge in 2012 and has since then been a regular in the side, be it at right-back, left-back, or this term as part of a back three.

And this season he has seamlessly slotted into Conte’s new system, and flourished at the same time, with the 27-year-old rarely performing below a seven out of ten on any given matchday.

Azpilicueta is exactly the sort of defender every club would want in their side, and he looks set to continue as a key part of Chelsea’s backline over the coming years.

David Luiz

Many people saw David Luiz’s return to Chelsea as nothing more than a panic buy at the end of a frustrating transfer window.

And if it was indeed that, it hasn’t turned out to be a bad move, as the Brazil international has been nothing short of sensational this term for Conte’s men.

The former Paris Saint-Germain centre-back has never been renowned for his defensive abilities, but this season has seen him come on leaps and bounds in that area, to the point that he was voted in the PFA Team of the Season last week.

The 30-year-old has started 28 of Chelsea’s 32 Premier League games this term and is a big part of why they are at the top of the division, and his excellent display against Tottenham in the FA Cup on Saturday further demonstrated his meteoric rise under Conte this season.

Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk arrived in England from Celtic in the summer of 2015, and although he didn’t make a great start to life at Southampton, he soon got to grips with the English game.

And since then he has gone on to become one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.

The Dutch international was outstanding for the Saints in the first half of the campaign, before injury against Leicester in January ruled him out for the rest of the season, and as a result attracted much interest from the upper reaches of the Premier League.

And one club keeping tabs on the 25-year-old ahead of the summer is Chelsea, and given that he is as adept on the ball as he is defensively, he would be ideal in Conte’s back three, and would help make them almost impenetrable for years to come.