Arsenal considering £45m swoop for Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City target Virgil van Dijk
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger reportedly to step-up efforts to bring Dutch defender to North London
ARSENE WENGER is reportedly set to try and bring in Southampton star Virgil van Dijk as he attempts to rebuild his defence.
The Gunners boss is splashing the cash this summer in an effort to turn his squad into title challengers.
Arsenal are also on the verge of securing Monaco winger Thomas Lemar in a £45m move.
And now he is looking to bolster his backline after his side finished outside of the top four and missed out on Champions League qualification last season.
Holland international Van Dijk is very much a man in demand with Premier League rivals Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea also interested in the 26-year-old.
Jurgen Klopp was the favourite to land the defender earlier this summer.
He and Liverpool had made an approach for the former Celtic ace but had to back off in their pursuit.
Saints made an official complaint about the way the Kop outfit had made their approach.
That appears to have ruined any chance they had of bringing him to Anfield, and now Wenger is looking to steal a march and tie up a deal.
Although St Mary’s officials want £60m for Van Dijk, the Gunners will still plough ahead with a starting £45m offer.
That represents a huge increase on the £12m they could have landed him for two years when he left Celtic, instead they opted to pass up on signing him from Celtic and allowed him to move to the South Coast.
Virgil van Dijk factfile
- Van Dijk was born in Breda, Holland, on July 8 1991.
- He grew up pretending to be Ronaldinho when he played street football.
- He spent a year with Willem II as a youth before moving to Groningen.
- After graduating from their academy in 2011 Van Dijk played 66 times for the Eredivisie club over three seasons, scoring seven times.
- Celtic gave Van Dijk his break in British football by moving in 2013 and the Dutchman quickly established himself in their first team.
- The 6ft 4ins defender's form saw Southampton make a move in 2015 and after 68 appearances in two seasons Champions League clubs are circling.
- Van Dijk's international career began in 2015 and he has since played 12 times for his country.
- Pundit Tony Cascarino described van Dijk as "even better and quicker than Rio Ferdinand".