Chelsea favourites to sign Virgil van Dijk

Premier League leaders Chelsea have reportedly emerged as favourites to sign Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk in the summer. The Blues will offer Andreas Christensen as part of a £50m deal for the centre-back.

Van Dijk, 25, has been heavily tipped to leave the Saints in the summer with Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool also vying for his services.

However, according to The Sun, the Blues are leading the player's pursuit after having offered Christensen in a proposed £50m move for Van Dijk.

Christensen, who is in the second year of his loan spell at Borussia Monchengladbach, is eager to ply his trade in the top flight next term, and a move to the South Coast could well be on the cards.

Claude Puel's side have made meaningful business by purchasing uprising talents in recent seasons, and the opportunity of recruiting Christensen could be a tempting prospect for the mid-table club.

The Denmark international has become a fan favourite in his time at Monchengladbach, but the German club do not have the funds to buy his contract permanently.

London rivals Arsenal were deemed frontrunners to sign Van Dijk earlier in the week, but the latest offer has seemingly put Chelsea in the front seat to land the Netherlands international.