Virgil van Dijk has fuelled speculation surrounding his future by insisting the Scottish Premiership is not challenging enough for him.
Newcastle are long-term admirers of the Dutch defender but they face fierce competition from a number of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Spurs and Southampton, as well as several Bundesliga sides.
As question marks surround the future of Crystal Palace target Mike Williamson, and the club’s captain Fabricio Coloccini looks set to depart when his contract expires in July 2016, the Magpies are hoping to secure the signing of an experienced centre-half this summer, with Van Dijk topping their wish-list.
Lee Charnley has been handed a boost in his pursuit of the 23-year-old, following his recent comments on Dutch radio station Omroep Brabant. “Celtic are a great club with a fantastic stadium and the fans are great but the competition is not too good,” Van Dijk admitted.
“I want to develop. If the opportunity is there, I would definitely consider a transfer. But maybe there will be nothing.”
Should they fail in an attempt to land the Celtic defender, it is believed Newcastle will follow up their initial interest in Anderlecht’s Chancel Mbemba Mangulu [below], according to Daily Mail. Graham Carr has watched the 20-year-old on a number of occasions and, having been impressed by his performances, Newcastle’s chief scout hopes Lee Charnley can secure his signature if they fail in their efforts to sign Van Dijk.
