Former Celtic centre-half Virgil van Dijk’s career has gone from strength to strength since joining Liverpool in January.
Liverpool finally landed long-term target Virgil van Dijk during the January transfer window after a lengthy pursuit of the Dutchman, bringing him to Anfield for an astounding £75million (BBC); the highest fee ever paid for a defender.
Since making the switch from Southampton to Liverpool, van Dijk’s career has gone from strength to strength, and was brought to new heights this week when he captained his country for the first time after being named as the skipper by new Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman.
To top off his debut as national team captain, the Dutchman netted a neat strike just before the break, displaying incredible technique that most attacking players would have been pleased with, as his side ran out 3-0 victors over Portugal.
Van Dijk got things underway at Anfield in perfect fashion, netting the winner against Everton in a FA Cup tie, instantly writing himself into Liverpool folklore. Across his 10 appearances for the Merseyside club so far, five have been clean sheets, and his sheer presence has undoubtedly shored up Jurgen Klopp’s defence.
In fact, the emergence of Lors Karius as a fine goalkeeper can even possibly be somewhat attributed to the Dutchman, with Van Dijk’s presence in front of goal likely to instil some confidence in the German, compared to the unpredictable Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan before him.
On top of all this, since van Dijk’s arrival Liverpool obliterated Porto away to seal their spot in the Champions League last eight, the furthest that the record-breaking defender has ever got in Europe’s premier competition and the furthest the club has made it since 2009.
Liverpool’s front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah have been major catalysts when it comes to the team’s success. However, van Dijk and his defensive partners, especially Andrew Robertson, have also played a huge role in the recent resurgence of the club.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
