Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino has reportedly decided to make plans for the exit of defender Virgil van Dijk.
The club captain has spoken openly about his desire to leave St Mary's, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City all holding an interest in signing the Dutchman.
The Saints insist that Van Dijk remains unavailable for transfer but according to Calciomercato, Pellegrino wants Lazio defender Wesley Hoedt as a replacement for their star man.
It has been claimed that the Premier League side have made a bid of £15.5m for the 23-year-old, who has spent the past two seasons with the Serie A outfit.
During that time, Hoedt has made 48 appearances in Italy's top flight, with a further 13 outings coming in other competitions.
Southampton kept a clean sheet in their opening match of the season as they recorded a goalless draw against Swansea City.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
