Reported Leeds United target Jack Hendry has told The Daily Record that he plans to be like Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.
90min reported this week that Leeds are interested in signing Celtic-owned defender Hendry in the summer transfer window.
Oostende have reportedly decided to sign the Scotland international centre-back on a permanent deal after a loan spell.
The Belgian club are now claimed to be open to selling the 26-year-old for a big profit.
Van Dijk is one of the best central defenders in the world and is a former Celtic player.
Hendry told The Daily Record: “He’s someone I’ve looked at over the years. I loved watching him when I was in Scotland. He’s got all the attributes of a modern centre half.
“You’ve got to look up to these kind of players and strive to be up amongst them. You need to analyse them to see what you can do to improve and Virgil is definitely a guy I’ve studied.”
Hendry has done well during his loan spell in Belgium and has improved as a player since he first joined Celtic.
The 26-year-old is 6ft 4in, good on the ball, reads the game well, and makes timely challenges.
Okay, the defender could not make a massive impact at Celtic, but that is not to say that he will not cut it at Leeds.
Liam Cooper, Stuart Dallas and Luke Ayling are just some of the players in the Leeds team who were playing lower league football in England not so long ago.
Now all three are big players in the Premier League.
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