CHELSEA have reportedly moved to the front of the queue to sign Saints centre half Virgil Van Dijk this summer.
Liverpool and Manchester City have also been repeatedly linked with the £50m-plus rated Dutch star in recent months, but the Daily Telegraph report that the Premier League champions elect are favourites to win the battle.
Highly-rated Nathan Ake - who impressed in a loan spell at AFC Bournemouth in the first half of this season - could be offered to Saints as part of the deal. Ake, who also did well on loan to Watford in 2015/16, is rated at around £15m.
The Telegraph also reports that Saints will again look at Liverpool's Mamadou Sakho as a possible replacement should Van Dijk leave St Mary's.
Saints were interested in signing Sakho in January but were put off by a possible £20m price tag. He is currently on loan at Crystal Palace.
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