Former Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher has stated that Reds defender Virgil Van Dijk is the best center back in the Premier League and would not swap him for any other defender in the world.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool is currently sitting in 2nd place on the Premier League table and are arguably the most realistic challengers to champions Manchester City 13 games into the season. Liverpool is just two points behind the leaders and is yet to hit their top form in terms of an attacking unit which is a positive sign for the Merseyside giants.
Since arriving at Anfield from Southampton back in the January transfer window, Van Dijk has been a colossus at the heart of the Liverpool defense and tightened them up properly. Although Liverpool spent £75 million on Van Dijk’s services which made him the world’s most expensive defender, the Dutchman has silenced critics over his price tag with immense performances.
Liverpool broke a record last week against Watford as they kept another clean sheet in the Premier League taking their tally to eight in this unbeaten term after 13 games. Van Dijk has played every minute of the tournament so far and is proving to be one of the best central defenders in the league.
Even Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher had his doubts on Van Dijk’s arrival at Liverpool, but the Englishman now believes that Van Dijk is the best signing Liverpool have made in 30 years. “When Liverpool signed Virgil van Dijk a year ago, I thought they had signed a good player. I underestimated him. Few have had such a profound and immediate influence on any Liverpool team. Since his goalscoring debut in the Merseyside derby last January he has proven one of the most instantly successful Anfield recruits of the last 30 years.”
Continuing on his column on the Telegraph, the 40-year-old ex Liverpool defender added further praise on Van Dijk as one of the most influential players in the Premier League, “Van Dijk is the best defender in English football, only Aymeric Laporte’s form at Manchester City’s reaching similar levels. Never mind his position; he has risen to become one of the best in the Premier League, full stop. I would rank him with David Silva, Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Harry Kane and Salah. Early as we are in the season, Van Dijk will be challenging the familiar names for the Player of the Year come May. What I would say is this: at this moment I would not swap Van Dijk for any other center-back.”
Van Dijk is certainly having a positive impact on Liverpool since arriving at the club and he is making massive strides towards improvement with each passing day. He has been very impressive for Liverpool and Carragher is rightly naming him as one of the world’s best central defenders.
