Manchester City are reportedly preparing a £50m bid for Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk.
Pep Guardiola's side have only kept three clean sheets in 17 Premier League matches this season and it is understood that at least one new centre-back is a priority for the club.
A host of top-flight teams, including Manchester United and Liverpool, have been credited with an interest in Van Dijk, but according to the Daily Mail, Man City want to blow their rivals out the water with a £50m offer for the 25-year-old.
The same report claims that 'discreet talks' have already taken place between the two clubs as Man City look to bring the Netherlands international to the Etihad in the January transfer window.
Van Dijk, who started his professional career with Dutch outfit Groningen, cost Southampton £13m from Celtic in the summer of 2015.
