Chelsea to focus on Virgil van Dijk following Leonardo Bonucci set back — report

With Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri making sure to rain on Chelsea's already rather hopeless parade with regards to Leonardo Bonucci, Chelsea are officially switching targets to slightly less hopeless options. According to the Evening Standard, the Blues’ primary option for defensive reinforcement at center back is a slightly less unattainable Virgil van Dijk from Southampton.

Since Liverpool's inglorious exit from the chase for Van Dijk following tapping-up accusations, the 26-year-old’s price has only gone up. Reports a few days ago put it at £65m, now the Standard ups that to a staggering £70 million, meaning that there is a possibility for Chelsea to break the world record transfer fee for a defender twice in just a few weeks if we also succeed in prying Alex Sandro from Juventus first.

Even in today’s ludicrous transfer market, £70 million for a non-homegrown centre back is a bizarre price to pay. But Van Dijk would offer an instant upgrade to Chelsea’s defensive line, and thus, in this very silly of Silly Seasons, we cannot count out such silly things from happening until the transfer window slams shut in two months.