Wesley Hoedt Eager for Partnership With van Dijk to Flourish Following £15m Summer Transfer

Southampton new boy Wesley Hoedt is keen to form a partnership with international compatriot Virgil van Dijk, despite his new teammate's desire to leave St Mary's. 

23-year-old Hoedt is a fully fledged Dutch international and, after completing a £15m move from Serie A side Lazio over the summer, he is confident Southampton will have formidable defensive options once van Dijk returns to the starting line-up.

"We’re both Dutch so that’s an advantage and we’re very similar so we could have a very good partnership," Hoedt said about his Netherlands international teammate, as reported by the Daily Echo.

"Not only us but we have three other central defenders who are really good so that’s nice. It’s always good to have competition."

Hoedt, who made his Premier League debut for Southampton in a 2-0 defeat to Watford, featured 61 times for Lazio.

After ditching AZ Alkmaar in 2015, Hoedt has shown an eye for goal by scoring four goals during his short time at the Stadio Olimpico. 

Van Dijk was the the centre of a host of transfer rumours throughout the summer transfer window, strongly linked with a move to Liverpool, as well as Arsenal, Chelsea and even Juventus. 

The hierarchy on the south coast remained adamant that van Dijk was not for sale at any price and as a result the 26-year-old will be staying at St Mary's Stadium, until January at least.