Man City boss Pep Guardiola eyeing swoop for Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk
PEP GUARDIOLA is preparing a January swoop for in-demand defender Virgil van Dijk, according to reports.
Man City failed to prise the Dutchman away from Southampton earlier this year, but he is still a top target.
Despite sitting comfortably at the top of the Premier League, Guardiola is desperate to bolster his defence.
And the Spanish boss has reportedly convinced City's board to hand him the funds ahead of the January transfer window.
Skipper Vincent Kompany has suffered a string of injuries and Eliaquim Mangala has suffered in the absence of John Stones.
But Southampton were unwilling to sell their star defender earlier this year, despite the 26-year-old going on strike.
Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino has now admitted that he is unsure whether the Dutch ace will stay in January.
City will be among a host of top clubs that will be scrambling for the defenders signature.
HAT-TRICK Pep wants Sanchez and two other top stars to complete his Man City revolution
Arsenal and Liverpool have both indicated a keen interest in the experienced Dutchman.
The Saints are expected to demand around £70m for their star defender.
City are also allegedly looking to sign a defensive midfielder to replace Yaya Toure - who is expected to leave next summer.
Guardiola has been strongly linked with Alexis Sanchez, but he could risk losing out on the Gunners ace if he waits until summer.
