CHELSEA believe they have won the race to sign £50m-rated Southampton star Virgil van Dijk, according to reports.
Antonio Conte is keen to strengthen his backline in the summer with John Terry set to leave the club when his contract expires.
Van Dijk is thought to be high on the Italian’s wishlist after he tried to sign him in January.
But with Southampton selling Jose Fonte to West Ham, Saints they stood firm in blocking any attempts to let Van Dijk leave.
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| Virgil van Dijk is attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs |
But the Mirror suggest Chelsea are confident they will be able to fend off interest from their Premier League rivals..
Manchester City have been credited with the strongest interest with Pep Guardiola ready to splash the cash and find an ideal centre-back partner for John Stones
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp also needs to bolster his backline and believes the 25-year-old would be a good addition.
Southampton are adamant he won’t be sold but with the big clubs set to come knocking in the summer, they will be unlikely to keep hold of him - and Chelsea believe they’re in pole position to complete a switch.