Following the departure of Virgil Van Dijk, who moved to Liverpool to become the most expensive defender in the history of football, Southampton are ideally looking for a proper replacement for the Dutch International.
Although summer signing Wesley Hoedt looked like the ideal replacement for his fellow countryman, the former Lazio defender has struggled to impose himself in the Premier League this season.
Therefore, we will examine three players Southampton should definitely target, in order to replace their prized defender.
Benjamin Hubner – TSG Hoffenheim
Benjamin Hubner has been one of the most solid defenders in the Bundesliga for the past three years now. He was Ingolstadt’s best defender after they got promoted to the first division, where his blistering performances earned him a move to Hoffenheim.
At TSG, the German has managed to evolve himself as a complete defender, thanks to the tactical nous of 30-year-old head coach Julian Nagelsmann. Alongside Kevin Vogt, the former Ingolstadt defender has been industrial to TSG’s rise in recent years.
Much like Van Dijk, Hubner can offer amazing ball-playing qualities aside from being solid at the back and therefore, he will prove to be an ideal replacement for the Dutch defensive stalwart.
Matthijs de Ligt – Ajax
By far the most expensive player on this list, Matthijs de Ligt is also a Dutch defender who’s making a name for himself in the Eredivisie.
Despite being only 18 years old, the Dutchman has managed to establish himself as a vital cog in the Ajax backline. His solid performances this season has helped Ajax maintain their pursuit of table toppers Feyenoord.
In fact, some of Europe’s biggest clubs in FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich have also started to show interest in the 18-year-old, who is destined for greatness in the coming years.
Marc Bartra – Borussia Dortmund
Marc Bartra could be a surprise candidate for Southampton, following the recent rumours regarding the defender being deemed as surplus to the requirements at Borussia Dortmund.
After moving to the German giants in the summer of 2016, Bartra made quite an impression in his first season at Dortmund, instantly becoming one of the fan favourites, especially after a tragic bus attack during their Champions League clash against Monaco last season.
However, Marc Bartra’s chances of getting into the first team are highly doubted following Dortmund’s acquisition of highly rated Swiss centre-back Manuel Akanji, who is expected to dethrone the former Barcelona defender in the Dortmund first-team.
Therefore, Southampton could be a potential destination for Bartra, who is highly familiar with the fluid playing style of Mauricio Pellegrino.