Ferdinand says van Dijk should not win Player of the Year award

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Is Liverpool’s Dutchman worthy of winning the big prize at the end of the season?

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand spoke to the Hayters TV YouTube channel about Virgil van Dijk and his chances of winning the Player Of The Year award.

It’s just a matter of when and not if with respect to Liverpool winning the Premier League this season and Virgil van Dijk has been one of the biggest reasons why that will happen. The Dutchman has been instrumental in Liverpool’s success since his big-money move from Southampton a little over two years ago.

He is certainly among the favourites to lift the ‘Player Of The Year’ award at the end of the campaign but Rio Ferdinand believes there are other players who would get his vote over the former Southampton man.

He said: “I think he (Van Dijk) is undoubtedly the best defender in the world, the best centre-back in the world now. He’d get my vote for best defender, best centre-half, but he wouldn’t get my vote for Player of the Year. I think there’s a few other people probably vying for that accolade.”

“I think Jordan Henderson has been very good. I think Mane has been my favourite player when I watch Liverpool if I’m honest. When I watch Liverpool he’s the person who gets me off my seat more than anyone. He’d definitely be up there. Vardy’s been good, scoring those goals. Kevin De Bruyne – when you watch him he just purrs. So there’s a few names there,” he said.

Sadio Mane and Jordan Henderson have both been phenomenal in their own right but without van Dijk, it is difficult to imagine where Liverpool would be at this moment.

Liverpool have almost always had a brilliant attack but their biggest problem has been their defence. Signing van Dijk from Southampton for a world record fee was a huge statement but that fee looks like a bargain now considering how important he has been for them.

Jamie Vardy and Kevin de Bruyne are good shouts but it will be almost impossible to hand the award to a player who isn’t in the team at the top of the table with a lead of over 20 points.

Ferdinand’s claims could irk a few Reds fans considering that he will always be seen as a Manchester United man, but they wouldn’t really care about individual trophies as long as they win the big one…which is seemingly imminent now.