Chelsea confident they’ll beat Liverpool in Van Dijk race

Chelsea are confident they will beat Liverpool in the race to sign Virgil van Dijk this summer, reports the London Evening Standard. 

Van Dijk was left off of Southampton’s pre-season training camp trip to France by head coach Mauricio Pellegrino, with the Dutchman informing the Saints head coach of his desire to leave St. Mary’s this summer. 

Liverpool are believed to be frontrunners in the race to secure the centre-backs services, though they must tread carefully having been threatened by Saints for tapping up the player earlier in the summer. 

The Reds may still harbour a strong interest in Van Dijk, but Chelsea are hoping to leapfrog Liverpool in the race to sign the defender as they believe Saints would be more willing to do business with them. 

Anfield remains Van Dijk’s preferred destination this window, though Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte has made the 26-year-old his top target having missed out on Leonardo Bonucci, who moved to AC Milan. 

Conte is still hoping to make up to four signings before the close of the transfer window, with Van Dijk a top target for the Italian.