Chelsea confident of securing Premier League ace ahead of rival

Chelsea believe they will fend off any competition from Manchester City for Southampton star Virgil van Dijk in the summer, reports The Daily Mirror.

Van Dijk, 25, has been sidelined for Southampton since picking up a serious ankle ligament injury during their 3-0 win over Leicester in January and Claude Puel’s side fear the defender has already played his final game for the club.

The Netherlands international was heavily tipped with a January exit before injury ruled out his departure but Van Dijk is expected to be subject to huge interest at the end of the season after establishing himself as one of the league’s best defenders.

Chelsea and Manchester City are set to go hammer and tong for his signature as they continue to reshape their team under their new managers but Antonio Conte’s side firmly believe they have the edge over their rivals and will secure the services of one of their top transfer targets.

Since the start of last season Van Dijk has been awarded the WhoScored Man of the Match award in the Premier League at least six more times than any other Southampton player (10).

For more stats on Virgil van Dijk, click here to visit his WhoScored player page