Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino believes Liverpool have been proven right over their signing of Virgil van Dijk as he has made them better.
The Dutchman, who has 26 caps for his nation, has made a huge impact at Anfield since moving from Southampton last January, and Spurs manager Pochettino has claimed that he has silenced any doubters questioning his transfer fee, a world record for a defender.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s clash between the two sides, as quoted in Football.London, he said: “He is a very good player. He signed 14 months ago and it made a good point.
“When a team like Liverpool need to improve their team in a certain area, people said it was crazy to pay £70m for a centre-back.
“But they were right. They picked Van Dijk, because at that moment they believed he was the best centre-back in England who could make them better, and they were right.
“The people who believed other things have now been shown that Liverpool were right.”
OPINION
Pochettino’s comments are, undoubtedly, on the money. Van Dijk has been a revelation since making the move to Anfield, and the big Dutchman has been a key figure in transforming the Reds from also rans into title contenders. There were detractors who questioned the wisdom of spending such an exorbitant amount of money on a defender, but the difference he has made in such a short space of time must surely have the doubters eating their words now. Van Dijk hasn’t been perfect this season, but he hasn’t been far off, and with Alisson in behind him and the promising Joe Gomez next to him, Liverpool look as if they could have a defensive core for years to come. Add to the Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson and it’s hard to see a side in the league with the same level of potential and longevity at the back. Van Dijk could honestly go on to become a club legend.
