Southampton have created and honed some stellar Premier League players in the last few years, often making a big profit on them when their time at St. Mary's Stadium comes to an end.

One club who have capitalised on that is Liverpool. As The Mirror note, the Anfield club have spent an eye-watering £95.5m on players from the Saints since the summer of 2014. That's a lot of dough.

Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne and Rickie Lambert have all made the switch from the South Coast to Merseyside, with varying degrees of success.

Generally, the Reds have spent well on Southampton talent with Mane and Lallana looking particularly impressive this season.

The two clubs meet in an EFL Cup semi-final on Wednesday night so what better opportunity to have a look at the Southampton squad and ponder which stars could be next in line for a big-money move to Liverpool?

These are the THREE Southampton stars we think have what it takes to make the switch...

Virgil van Dijk

Let's get the big one out of the way. That's big both in a literal and metaphorical sense. The 6ft. 4" defender has been the subject of significant rumours that he could be Anfield bound, this report from Squawka last month is just one of a number from outlets up and down the land.

The imperious Dutchman has been in superb form for Southampton this season even when his team haven't been playing well and has the ability to make a significant impact on Klopp's first-team.

The price tag is big but he could be worth it. He's an elite defender that could develop even further given he is still only 25-years-old. He could become a legend at the next club he moves to.

Fraser Forster

Fraser Forster is another who has the talent required to immediately improve Liverpool's starting XI. The English international is a massive presence between the sticks for Southampton.

With significant Champions League experience at Celtic, where he was so good that Spanish media gave him the nickname 'La Gran Muralla' (The Great Wall) after performances against Barcelona, he has the know-how required to lead the Reds' defence as they attempt to move up to a new level.

Neither Simon Mignolet or Loris Karius have looked particularly assured this season and a move for the big goalkeeper could be a permanent and long-term solution to the problem.

Oriol Romeu

Part of the squad that won the Champions League for Chelsea in 2012, Oriol Romeu is a hidden gem in the Southampton side. He does the dirty work in the midfield and keeps Saints ticking across every 90 minutes he plays.

With an 86% pass completion record this season, it's clear he has the technical ability to perform at the highest level.

His big club experience at Barcelona and Chelsea would serve him well at Liverpool and if the Reds are going to make the next step into Europe, they need more defensive talent in the heart of their midfield.

He has experience of European football at Chelsea, Valencia and Southampton which is, of course, an asset to a team like Liverpool too. Is he the missing piece of Klopp's midfield?