"Ticks every box" - Jamie Carragher praises Virgil van Dijk

Former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher has recently praised Reds centre-back Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutchman has transformed the Reds since arriving at the club from Southampton back in January 2018.

Liverpool have secured the Champions League, Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, Premier League title, League Cup, FA Cup and Community Shield with Van Dijk at the heart of the defence.

Carragher has implied that the 31-year-old is the best centre-back to ever play in the Premier League.

He told JOE the following (03:35): “He is the one who ticks every box, people argue that Rio (Ferdinand) is similar, but I think the passing range of Virgil van Dijk is on another level to what Rio could do. Rio was really good on the ball, but the 60, 70 yard passes from Van Dijk. It’s almost too easy for him Premier League football if we’re being honest. He’s not tested enough, it’s too easy for him."

Anfield Watch Verdict

One could certainly argue that Van Dijk is the best centre-back to ever play in the Premier League. The man has no glaring weakness in his game.

Van Dijk suffered a serious knee injury against Everton at Goodison Park back in October 2020.

As a result, the Dutchman missed a total of 45 games during the 2020-21 campaign.

But, Van Dijk made his return last season and he did not disappoint. The defender averaged a WhoScored player rating of 7.18 across 34 Premier League fixtures.

The aforementioned figures highlight that Van Dijk has not regressed as a defender since his injury.

So, we are confident that he will be able to lead Liverpool's defence for many more years to come. Van Dijk is contracted until the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign.