Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings has been dubbed ‘Villa’s Van Dijk’.
Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings has told the Birmingham Mail that ‘it’s nice’ to be likened to Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk – but the comparisons are a bit premature for him.
When Villa signed Mings on loan from Bournemouth in January, few people could have expected him to enjoy such a meteoric rise.
Mings was struggling to really nail down a spot in Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth side, so he went out on loan to Villa for the second half of last season to play first-team football.
Mings ended up being Villa’s star centre back and leader of their defence, helping them win promotion to the Premier League with a host of outstanding displays.
The 26-year-old made his move to Villa Park permanent this summer, and his early displays back in the Premier League have seen him earn a shock England call-up.
Mings is now in line to play against Bulgaria and Kosovo over the international break, with Villa fans celebrating him being recognised by Gareth Southgate.
Villa fans absolute love Mings, to the point where they’ve even called him ‘Villa’s Van Dijk’, comparing him to Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk.
Van Dijk has won the Champions League, so Mings acknowledges that the comparisons he’s heard are a little premature, but he would love to emulate the Dutchman, and believed the comments are ‘nice’ from ‘brilliant’ Villa fans.
“I think he is perhaps one of the most complete centre-backs in world football right now,” said Mings. “I try to watch as many clips of different centre-backs as possible and take different inspirations from different place and different people.”
“He is definitely one person I would love to emulate on the pitch. To be mentioned in the same sentence or breath as him is an extremely positive thing. I wouldn’t make those comparisons just yet. I’ve got a long way to go for that, but it’s nice. The Villa fans are brilliant so those comparisons are fine with me,” he added.
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