‘No-one wanted him’: Tim Sherwood makes claim about one of Liverpool’s best players

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Tim Sherwood has claimed that when Liverpool defender, Virgil van Dijk, was at Celtic ‘no-one wanted him’, as he told Premier League Productions (27/01/22 at 12:10 pm).

The TV pundit suggested that one of the world’s best players was seemingly disrespected in Celtic colours and before Southampton took a punt on him.

Van Dijk moved to Celtic Park in 2013 from Dutch side Groningen, before securing a move to the Premier League and to St Mary’s two years later.

That’s where the Holland international started to get the recognition and his performances in the South Coast landed him on Liverpool’s doorstep.

The rest is history because he is now regarded as one of the greatest centre-backs in the club’s history and one of the best in the world right now.

Sherwood shared why Van Dijk was seemingly disrespected during his early days and how others would have regretted not pushing for him earlier.

“We are looking at a guy here in Virgil van Dijk,” said Sherwood. “He played at Celtic. No one wanted to take him.

“Everyone was having a look, myself included because he was playing in an environment that was non-competitive. You couldn’t really judge him.

“Then he goes to Southampton. Then you think, ‘oh, we might have missed the boat here. He might be too expensive for us now’. He was proving that he could play in the Premier League.

“And Liverpool have done their homework, spoke to Jurgen Klopp, he said ‘this is the man I want’. And he has come in there with the personality which he has got. That helps. He is very humble. I think he has done absolutely brilliant.”

Van Dijk isn’t the only player in Liverpool colours that perhaps had to go down a different route, when coming from Scotland, to then land himself right at the top.

Hull City snapped up Andy Robertson when he was at Dundee United, where he worked under Steven Bruce and played alongside Harry Maguire at the MKM Stadium.

That’s when the eagle-eyed Jurgen Klopp worked his magic and signed him.

And once again, the rest is history with the flying Scotsman, who, just like Van Dijk, can regard himself as one of the club’s best-ever defenders.

Perhaps more respect does need to be put on Scottish football because if it had the money the Premier League possesses, then maybe it would earn more respect.