How ‘Another Level’ Van Dijk ‘Surprised’ Reds Boss Slot

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk’s quality has surprised Reds manager Arne Slot, who says the defender is on “another level”.

Van Dijk, 33, is in the last six months of his contract and made his 300th appearance for the Reds in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Ipswich Town.

During his eight years at Anfield, the Dutch centre-half has won the Premier League, Champions League, Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, the FA Cup and the League Cup twice.

His future at the club remains in doubt, but he has led Liverpool to the top of the Premier League, into the last 16 of the Champions League and the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup this season.

“Everybody here in England would tell you that Virgil van Dijk is the best defender in the world,” said Slot, speaking to Gary Lineker in an interview for Football Focus.

“In Holland, he got a bit more criticism than he gets over here in England. I was, in a very positive way, surprised how good he was on the ball and how he could play football through the lines.

“From the first day I was like ‘wow, this is definitely another level that I’m used to’. But people in England were used to this.”