Jamie Carragher reacts to Virgil van Dijk deal, wants him to emulate Manchester United hero

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Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk will join Liverpool in January.

Liverpool hero Jamie Carragher has told Sky Sports that he thinks new Reds signing Virgil van Dijk needs to emulate Rio Ferdinand and repay his transfer fee.

Despite a ninth clean sheet of the season with the 5-0 Boxing Day win over Swansea City, questions have been lingering over the Liverpool defence – especially after the 3-3 draw at Arsenal on Friday night.

Many wanted Jurgen Klopp to go out and sign a new centre back, and after failing to land him in the summer, Klopp has finally signed his top target – Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk.

Liverpool confirmed on their official website on Wednesday that Van Dijk has agreed to join the club on January 1^st, with The Telegraph reporting that the fee involved is a huge £75million.

That means that Liverpool are paying a world-record fee for a defender, whilst alleged wages of around £180,000-a-week immediately make him one of Liverpool’s biggest earners.

The Dutch centre back, 26, has starred for Southampton since his 2015 move from Celtic, and will now look to help Liverpool finally tighten up at the back after years of defensive chaos.

Now, former Liverpool defender and current pundit Jamie Carragher has told Sky Sports that whilst the transfer fee is astronomical, it’s all about how Van Dijk repays that fee.

Carragher wants to see Van Dijk become like Rio Ferdinand was for Manchester United; a dominant centre back who won trophies over 10 years at Old Trafford.

“People will look at the transfer fee. It’s normally strikers going for that type of figure. But as with any transfer fee, if he performs well and does his job it will be worth it,” said Carragher. “Rio Ferdinand went to Manchester United for just over £30m, but he repaid that. He was Manchester United’s top centre-back, won trophies and was there for 10 years. That’s what Van Dijk has to do; take Liverpool to trophies and be their main, number one centre-back for the next decade or so,” he added.