Saints close in on a deal for Lazio centre-back Wesley Hoedt - but he will NOT be Virgil van Dijk's replacement as transfer saga rumbles on

Saints are closing in on a deal for centre half Wesley Hoedt as Virgil van Dijk’s stand-off continues.

Mauricio Pellegrino admitted he is in the market for another central defender during the transfer window with Italian media reporting that Saints have agreed a £15m fee for Lazio’s Hoedt.

The Daily Echo understands that Saints see Hoedt as an addition to the current squad rather than a replacement for van Dijk, who they have insisted is not for sale despite his transfer request.

Assuming Saints stand firm and do hang on to van Dijk, they cannot be sure how the 26-year-old will react when the window closes, and so need another option, even if it means ending up with one more central defender than they perhaps ideally need.

Pellegrino said: “Yes, because as you know right now it's the position that we are in disadvantage.

“I think it's an area where we can improve with another player.

“I prefer to have a solution on the pitch, instead of problems on the pitch. I can manage that situation.

“Sometimes you have to make decisions as quickly as possible, because the competition will not wait for us.”

Hoedt, 23, is a Dutch international who started his career at AZ in the Netherlands before signing for Lazio in 2015.

His age and profile fits perfectly with the type of player that Saints like to recruit and should the deal be completed then he will be immediately competing for a place with Jack Stephens, Maya Yoshida and Jan Bednarek with van Dijk possibly to return to the squad and Florin Gardos on the fringes.

If Saints cannot get the Hoedt deal done then they will switch their attentions to another centre half.

Speaking of Hoedt specifically Pellegrino said: “I know the player but I will not talk about the market because when you talk about it a negotiation is 80 per cent of 90 per cent the negotiation is either 100 per cent or zero per cent.

“When he signs the player for you but before that I have nothing to say.”

Pellegrino also confirmed that van Dijks’ situation remains unchanged.

He is back from his virus but still won’t be considered for first team duties due to his desire to leave the club.

“The Virgil situation nothing has changed. It is the same like last week,” confirmed Pellegrino.

“I don’t have anything to say.”