The Netherlands international's ability to read the game puts him in a class of his own, says the retired striker
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is the best centre-back in the world, according to Stan Collymore, and has been compared to Rio Ferdinand and Sergio Ramos by the former Reds striker.
Van Dijk has had a significant influence at the back for Liverpool this term and has helped turn the Reds into the best defensive side in the Premier League.
Jurgen Klopp's men kept a clean sheet against Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, although some claimed the Bavarians sat back in that game.
“Van Dijk reads the game better than any other defender in the Premier League and is a bit old-school in that respect,” Collymore wrote in the Mirror.
“I’d put him in the Rio Ferdinand bracket when it comes to his reading of situations — he sees the danger, acknowledges the danger and has the physicality and athleticism to be able to deal with it.
“Some players can read the game but don’t have the pace and some have the pace but not the instinct. He has the lot and on top of that he exudes a calmness that rubs off on the rest of his side’s back four.
“I see in Van Dijk someone who is unflustered and will go on, either with Liverpool or another club, to win many, many titles.
“And by the time he hangs up his boots, we could be talking about him in the same venerable tones as Sergio Ramos if he gets the chance to win as many titles either at Liverpool or elsewhere.”
The Dutch international became the world's most expensive defender when Liverpool paid £75 million to sign him from Southampton in January 2018, but Collymore thinks that now looks a bargain price.
“Van Dijk has to be worth at least £175m of anybody’s money and, while it’s easy to throw around statements such as ‘best in the world’, I really believe he is," the former striker added.
The centre-back could still lift the Premier League and the Champions League this season with Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson having said the Reds are targetting both titles.
They need either a win or a scoring draw when they travel to Bavaria next week if they are to make it through to the quarter-finals of Europe's elite club competition.
ENZOROMARIO77
67
Rating Van Djik above Ramos smells sentimental and the most ridiculous comparison in football. A Central Defender that has scored more than 100 goals and named in FIFA XI successively on several occasions. Ramos has lifted all the trophies as far as soccer is concerned and is incomparable to any defender past and present.
12UnitedGuyReborn
55
Just one season and all of a sudden ??? you guys shouldn't forget that it is the same Liverpool that Salah was compared to messi last season (and some even started calling him G.O.A.T) but where is he now ?? not even in top five best EPL players this season, I know VVD is good but what the likes of the people he is being compared with have done, he is still an upcoming compared to them. and give him time them we will see if he is consistent for years before you can bring up this comparison
Jozabdiks
53
Van Dijk is the best in form defender currently. No player has dribble past him this season. You can see Ramos getting destroy with scoresheet like 5-1 and you can see him losing form when he can't keep a clean sheet to some 2nd division clubs. Look at how many goals Real Madrid has conceded compare to Liverpool along with their clean sheet.
Zoybekmnot
34
Van Dijk has more mountains to cover for him to be compared with the likes of Ramos or Fadinal. This is merely a dream to compare him and Ramos who has done so much in football.
meeackmrs
34
He definitely is a more complete package than most of the world's elite center-backs. What he has on them though, is the fact that he is a true professional. plays hard but not nasty. He focuses on the job at hand, not the player. This allows him to keep his concentration for 90 minutes, so he's not apt to make some of the silly mistakes the others make. I would definitely take him in front of Ramos or Pique any day! He's a rare pearl.