Virgil van Dijk has helped Liverpool to the top of the Premier League, 12 months after he arrived at Anfield from Southampton.
Virgil van Dijk is celebrating 12 months as a Liverpool player. And the best tribute you could pay to the giant Dutch defender is that absolutely no one is talking about his eye-watering £75 million price-tag these days.
Liverpool made Van Dijk the most expensive defender in football history when they finally lured him from Southampton in January 2018 and he has been a roaring success at Anfield, providing the platform for a genuine title challenge.
And, speaking to the Sport Review, John Barnes has gone as far as to compare Van Dijk to his former Liverpool teammate – the legendary centre-back Alan Hansen.
“[He reminds me of] Alan Hansen in terms of how calm he is and the effect he has on the defence,” Barnes said.
“Even more so than (former captain) Sami Hyypia. Sami was a great player but he played alongside Jamie Carragher and the defence was better when Sami was here.
“In terms of the player closest to Hansen, it’s Van Dijk.”
Hansen is one of the most decorated footballers in Liverpool’s history, winning the first division title on eight occasions as well as celebrating three European Cups and two FA Cup triumphs.
One-time Celtic favourite Van Dijk, however, has not lifted a single trophy yet since arriving on Merseyside, but he will be hoping to change that in the near future, with Jurgen Klopp’s side four points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
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