Danny Murphy has heaped praise on Liverpool ace Virgil van Dijk, calling the Dutchman “outstanding”.
The £180,000-a-week defender [Spotrac] has enjoyed a stellar campaign for the Reds, and has received a deluge of plaudits for his imperious performances at the heart of the Anfield backline.
And Murphy has been quick to pick him out as his player of the season.
Speaking to the Daily Mail for an end of season review, he said: “Not only have Virgil van Dijk’s own displays been outstanding, he’s improved everyone around him in the Liverpool defence as well.”
OPINION
In a season as incredible as van Dijk’s has been, what can you say about the big man that hasn’t already been said? Week after week, superlative after superlative has been rolled out to try and articulate his impact at Anfield, and you get the impression that none of them have quite done the job. As Murphy rightly says, this isn’t just a player who has come in and done a fine job. This is a player who has come in and played out of his skin, but who has elevated the standards of those around him as well. That kind of impact is rare to say the least, and anybody who questioned the size of the fee the Reds payed to bring van Dijk to Anfield must surely be eating their words now. It is no exaggeration to say that he has become one of the finest defenders in the modern game, and he is a credit to the club. If Liverpool win a trophy this season, they will have him to thank, in more ways than one.
