Liverpool legend Sami Hyypia has lavished praise on Virgil van Dijk, labelling the Dutchman as the “ultimate centre-back”.
Hyypia occupied the centre-back berth on Merseyside for a decade, captaining the Reds between 2001 and 2003, and he believes Van Dijk’s £75m transfer fee was worth every penny.
Is Van Dijk the “ultimate centre-back”? Five key things to know…
- Signed from Southampton for £75m in January 2018.
- The 27-year-old has revolutionised Liverpools’ defence with the club conceding the least number of Premier League goals this season (15).
- Van Dijk’s immediate impact has been likened to that of Eric Cantona’s at Manchester United.
- Bayern Munich defender and World Cup winner, Mats Hummels, recently declared Van Dijk the best centre-back in the world.
- Only Aymeric Laporte has registered more accurate passes (2133) than Van Dijk (1907) of any Premier League defender this season.
The 27-year-old was signed by Jurgen Klopp to strengthen Liverpool’s leaky defence and the Dutch skipper has attracted plenty of plaudits for his authoritative performances.
Liverpool are currently in hot pursuit of a first Premier League title and Van Dijk has been the fulcrum of their ascent, which has not gone unnoticed by Hyypia.
The former Liverpool captain told reporters: “I saw it right away when he came that he would be a very important part of the team.
“Straightaway he was organising the defence, he was the leader at the back, and as time has gone on he is even more important.
“He gives confidence to the players and makes many other players play better.
“It is very difficult to find a weakness. He is an ultimate centre-back and it would be a pleasure to play alongside him he is so good.
“He is so calm on the ball, he never seems in a hurry and he trusts his skills on the ball.
“It was the right decision [to sign him] because he is so important for the team, it doesn’t matter how much he cost.”
Up next for Klopp and Co is a blockbuster clash against Bayern Munich in the Champions League round-of-16 on Tuesday night, with the great European aristocrats colliding at Anfield.
Unfortunately for Klopp he will have to face the German giants without his “ultimate centre-back” as Van Dijk is currently serving a one-match ban for picking up three yellow cards in the group stages.
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Manuel Neuer returns
Ahead of the crucial match on Tuesday, goalkeeping stalwart and former World Cup Golden Glove winner, Manuel Neuer, was a major doubt but he returned to action in Bayern’s 3-2 over Augsburg on Friday.
Niko Kovac’s side twice trailed Fuggerstadter at the WWK ARENA, but a brace from Kingsley Coman and match-winner from David Alaba secured all three points for the Bavarians.
Prior to the match Neuer had missed two matches due to a hand complication and was expected to miss out on the trip to Merseyside.
However, the 32-year-old has made a full recovery and will make his first ever trip to Anfield, before travelling to the Allianz Arena for the second leg next month.
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