Chelsea are preparing to challenge Liverpool for the signature of Virgil van Dijk by offering Southampton £50 million for the Holland defender. Antonio Conte identified Van Dijk as a transfer target in January and has persuaded the club to make a firm bid, with Chelsea optimistic that a deal could be agreed before the start of the Premier League season next weekend.

Liverpool had been leading the chase for Van Dijk but Chelsea hope to exploit their Premier League rivals’ poor relations with Southampton by bringing him to Stamford Bridge. Southampton threatened to report Liverpool to the Premier League for making an illegal approach to Van Dijk after reports that he had an unauthorised meeting with Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, in June, and are