ON Wednesday night, just as fans across the country were recovering from a gluttony of too much turkey and chocolate, Liverpool announced a deal to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton for £75million.
The deal makes him the world’s most expensive defender and he will join his new team-mates at Anfield on January 1.
This ends the Reds’ long battle to get a deal over the line, and now the pressure will be on the 26-year-old to improve Jurgen Klopp’s defensive line.
Our friends at Football Whispers ponder who will be picked to start alongside their new signing.
Joel Matip
The Cameroonian has arguably been Liverpool’s most impressive centre-back. Arriving from Schalke on a free transfer, he has undoubtedly improved the defence, but his absences have left them short.
Having a very capable and commanding partner can only help Matip improve further and let the 26-year-old take his game to another level.
He leads all others in tackles won and interceptions made.
‘FORGET ABOUT IT’ Jurgen Klopp tells Liverpool fans not to think about Virgil van Dijk’s massive £75million price tag
He already averages a high number of passes per game, with 71.1, completing 89.5 per cent.
Van Dijk is also extremely comfortable in possession and it should help Liverpool control the ball much more effectively.
Dejan Lovren
Ever since arriving, also from Southampton, the Croatian has been one of the most polarising figures at Anfield.
Every so often he will put in a performance where you think he has the quality needed, but then basic, very avoidable mistakes put him in the spotlight once again.
Averaging one tackle won per game, he wins more headers and makes more clearances than Matip, but it’s the lapses in concentration which let the 28-year-old down.
With Van Dijk in the squad, the pressure on Lovren to lead the defence should calm down and maybe help get the best out of the former Lyon defender.
Ragnar Klavan
The Estonian centre-back is 32 years old, he was never going to be Klopp’s long-term solution at the heart of the defence. Yet, when called upon, the former Augsburg man has been dependable when others haven’t.
This season he has made as many interceptions per game as Lovren and commits the fewest fouls out of the four players we compared.
His numbers are impressive, he completes more passes per game than Matip and has the highest completion percentage in the Liverpool squad. Klavan would be an able partner to the Dutch defender.
Joe Gomez
The 20-year-old defender has made 16 appearances at right-back for the Reds’ this term.
Although centre-back is deemed his most natural role, the England international has impressed in Klopp’s back-line.
His statistics measure up well, but it hard to get a true gauge without him being selected as a centre-back by Klopp.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Nathaniel Clyne are also challenging for minutes in the same position.
Eventually, Gomez’s long-term future could be fighting for minutes in the heart of the defence.
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Georginio Wijnaldum and Emre Can
Against Brighton & Hove Albion, the German coach, suffering from injuries at the back, moved to play 3-4-3 and asked the midfield pair to flank Lovren in defence.
It worked surprisingly well and it is an experiment which could work again if the situation presented itself.
Van Dijk would be a much stronger option in the centre and the tactical move could catch other Premier League clubs off-guard.
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