"He’s a tough defender" - Harry Kane names Liverpool defender as the best he has faced

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has named Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk as the best defender that he has faced in the Premier League.

The Reds signed the Dutchman from Southampton for a transfer fee of €84.65 million back in January 2018.

Since then, Van Dijk has helped Liverpool win the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and Premier League title.

The 30-year-old was also named the runner-up for the 2019 Ballon d'Or, which provides a really good insight into how he has performed during his time as a Red.

Therefore, Kane's comments below regarding Van Dijk should not come as a surprise.

As quoted by Football.London, Kane said the following on Amazon’s YouTube channel when asked about the best defender he has faced in the Premier League: “Oh, good question- obviously, Van Dijk is a fantastic defender.

“He’s been consistent now for Liverpool over many years and he won the Premier League and won the Champions League.

“So, he’s a tough defender and he’s doing great this year after his injury last year.”

Anfield Watch Verdict

As Kane pointed out in his aforementioned comments, Van Dijk suffered a serious knee injury during the 2020-21 campaign

The centre-back missed the majority of last season as a result (45 matches). But, Van Dijk has returned bigger and better this season.

The Dutchman has been averaging a WhoScored player rating of 7.18 across the 2021-22 campaign. Van Dijk, 30, still has plenty of time left in his career.

The defender's current contract expires in June 2025. Therefore, there is a fair chance that Van Dijk will finish his career at Anfield, which we absolutely love.

The 30-year-old has made 157 appearances for Liverpool's first-team. There is no reason why Van Dijk can't get close to 300 appearances for the first XI by the time his contract expires.