‘F-A-B, Virgil!’

When the immortal line was spoken back in 1965, it’s hard to imagine that the creation of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s television phenomenon, Thunderbirds, would be worked into articles focusing on a Dutch football player.

But, here you go.

In fact, the now infamous phrase, said by Virgil Tracy way back in 1965, doesn’t even need to be shoe-horned in. It just fits. It makes sense.

While the Southampton back-line may not necessarily have required ‘international rescue’, it certainly needed a fresh face and a strong successor to Toby Alderweireld, with the Belgian jilting Saints at the altar to sign for Tottenham Hotspur.

Although, despite supporters not quite being at the point of setting off distress flares, it’s perfectly fair to say impatience grew as the wait for a new central defender went on.

With elimination from the Europa League at the hands of Midtjylland and the transfer deadline drawing closer, some in certain corners of Hampshire began to twitch.

They needn’t have worried, because Van Dijk has proved to be worth waiting for.

With the Dutchman’s performances to-date, it would appear that he might be a little bit more than just a run-of-the-mill successor, too.

With the added benefit of being tied down to a five-year deal, the Dutch defender has brought calming authority and brute strength to a back-line still trying to come to terms with the break-up of a second successive centre-back partnership.

In addition, his confidence on the ball and ability to spray passes around as if he is a deep-lying playmaker (I won’t use ‘quarterback’) brings added bonuses to the side when in transition and looking to launch attacks.

Judging purely on the manner with which the former Celtic defender has taken to the task in the Premier League, he is the epitome of the clichéd ‘Rolls Royce’ defender.

Saints supporters will now be hoping that the partnership of Van Dijk and José Fonte can now form the bedrock of a team capable of returning the club to European football.

It speaks volumes of the early impression he has made, that he is already regarded as a key player. One who would draw gasps and spark worry, were he to go to ground with an injury.

Swapping green-and-white hoops for red-and-white stripes already appears to be paying dividends for the 24-year-old, who has claimed that he has learnt more in fives games at Southampton than he did in two-and-a-half years with Celtic.

While, on the face of it, some north of the border may have been offended by Van Dijk’s brazen comment, it’s one which is pretty hard to refute.

Because it has pitted Van Dijk against tougher opposition, in more imposing arenas, with a higher standard of play and greater demands.

So far, the move has proven to be mutually beneficial. The former Groningen defender has already managed to earn a call-up to the Netherlands senior team, which led to him making his international debut in a 2-1 away win over Kazakhstan last week.

While it was perhaps always inevitable that a Premier League switch would elevate Van Dijk’s status, it was perhaps less inevitable that he would prove to be such an instant hit.

But, for all the doubt cast due to his involvement in the Scottish Premier League, it would seem to have been wasted concern.

While his debut performance in a 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion didn’t set the world alight, he laid down an impressive marker. He then went on to impress with dominant displays against Chelsea and Swansea City, against whom he wasted no time in scoring his first Saints goal.

One criticism that was levelled at Van Dijk among a raft of positives as he departed Celtic, however, was that he has a tendency to switch off.

While that has not yet been witnessed by Southampton supporters, there is every hope that the 24-year-old will continue to blossom and iron out any creases, under the tutelage of fellow countryman and national hero Ronald Koeman.

When it comes to evaluating central defenders, it’s hard to imagine an opinion worth more than that of his Saints manager, who represented Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona, in a career that saw him play a crucial role in the Netherlands’ only major title.

So when Koeman was effusive in his praise for the rising star after he played his part in a 3-1 home win over Swansea, it was worth taking note of.

“One of his qualities is he is a good header of the ball,” Koeman said.

“He is also defensively strong and his personality is important for the team.

"He’s only 24, it’s his first season in the Premier League and he will get better.”

It had long been on the cards for Van Dijk to depart Celtic for Southampton, to work with Koeman, whose father, Martin Koeman, scouted a young Van Dijk for Groningen, where both Ronald and Virgil received a strong footballing education.

If, as many have predicted, the Breda-born defender continues to blossom and takes his game to the next level under the stewardship of Koeman, he will undoubtedly follow in his tutor’s footsteps and climb further towards the pinnacle.

But for now, supporters of Southampton will be looking forward to his dominating, all-action displays with well-placed enthusiasm and optimism.

After all, his start to life on the south coast has been F-A-B.