Dutchman wants compatriot to join him on south coast.
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New Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has targeted Celtic’s star centre-back Virgil Van Dijk as his first signing for the club, according to the Daily Mirror.
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The former Ajax legend is set to be unveiled as the club’s new manager later this week when he returns from holiday in Turkey, and rumour has it he is already lining up his first moves in the transfer market.
The former Feyenoord boss is keen to land £8million-rated compatriot Van Dijk with doubts over the futures of current St Mary’s centre-back pairing Dejan Lovren and Jose Fonte.
Lovren last week handed in a transfer request with the hope that it will allow him to leave St Mary’s and make the switch to Liverpool in a £15m deal.
Fonte, meanwhile, will reconsider his options should the one-year left on his contract not be extended.
The 22-year-old Van Dijk linked up with Celtic last summer in a £2.6m deal from Eredivisie club FC Groningen, and has scored five goals in 45 appearances for the Scottish champions.
Koeman has been an admirer of the Holland under-21 star since scoring against his Feyenoord side back in 2012.