Former Man United defender gives verdict on whether Virgil van Dijk is already a better player than he was

Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam believes Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk is “even better” than him.

Since moving to Liverpool from Southampton for a fee of £75 million, Van Dijk has gone from strength to strength.

Van Dijk’s form has been so imperious that he was the runner-up to Lionel Messi in the 2019 Ballon d’Or.

The Dutchman played a huge role in the Reds claiming the 2019 Champions League title. With this being the case, many believed Van Dijk should have been awarded the prestigious individual award ahead of Messi.

Stam ultimately believes that the form Van Dijk has shown since arriving at Liverpool is maybe better than anything he was able to produce throughout his career.

Stam told Stadium Astro when asked whether Van Dijk is better than him: “Yeh, maybe even better, I don’t know. But Virgil is a presence.”

READ: Pundit lauds Liverpool midfielder 

Liverpool’s Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk celebrates scoring the 1-2 goal with his team-mate Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino (R) during the UEFA Champions League, last 16, second leg football match Bayern Munich v Liverpool in Munich, southern Germany, on March 13, 2019. (Photo by Christof Stache / AFP) / ALTERNATIVE CROP (Photo credit should read CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images)

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Van Dijk has played a huge part in Liverpool’s 2019-20 Premier League campaign. The Reds are eight points clear at the top of the table after 16 matches. He will be desperate to claim a maiden Premier League title for the club come the end of the season.

However, in the short-term, the Reds will need Van Dijk at his absolute best against Salzburg in the Champions League on Tuesday night. Liverpool must avoid defeat if they wish to progress to the knockout rounds of the Champions League.

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Source: anfieldhq.com