Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland believes Virgil van Dijk is one of the world’s leading three defenders.
Van Dijk is currently a huge miss for Liverpool with a cruciate ligament injury, with the Dutchman not expected to return this season.
The Reds are doing admirably without him, but such is his vast influence, they don’t look anywhere near the same defensive force.
Speaking to beIN Sports, Haaland lauded Van Dijk’s quality, putting him alongside Sergio Ramos and Kalidou Koulibaly as one of the best centre-backs on the planet:
The best [centre-backs] are Sergio Ramos, [Virgil] Van Dijk and [Kalidou] Koulibaly. All three are very physical, but also very smart on the pitch.
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I think Van Dijk is the best centre-back in the world by a distance, despite the brilliance of Ramos and Koulibaly.
He is one of the few players of his generation without a weakness, with the 29-year-old lightning fast, dominant in the air, silky on the ball, an expert reader of the game and possessing strong leadership.
Van Dijk is so special that I think Liverpool winning the Premier League title this time around will be even more impressive than last season, considering they would have largely done it without him.
His return will be met with great joy – the hope is that he returns the same player as before, given the severity of the injury.
