According to ex-Chelsea defender Jason Cundy, Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk is “overrated” and unfit to play alongside Rio Ferdinand or John Terry. The question of whether the Dutchman is a part of Jürgen Klopp’s long-term plans has now come up again.
This season, more than any of his prior campaigns while wearing a Liverpool jersey, Van Dijk has drawn criticism. Overall, the Reds are having a bad season and are unlikely to win any significant awards.
Van Dijk has been readily available to Klopp for the most of the season. Due to the issues that Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate, and Joe Gomez had, he did not always have a trustworthy companion.
Van Dijk has frequently been a player on whom Klopp could rely. But this season, that has not been the case. In the summer, he will turn 32, and Klopp might have to do the unimaginable and look for a replacement.
The most recent setback for Liverpool was a 1-0 loss against Bournemouth on Saturday. Van Dijk has drawn criticism for his involvement in Philip Billing’s objective.
Is Liverpool player Van Dijk overrated?
It was a typical mistake, according to Cundy, that occasionally went unreported earlier in Van Dijk’s career. A commentator on talkSPORT said: “Personally, I think he is overrated. I believe that Van Dijk has received a lot of media attention for his actions.”
“There’s no doubt he’s a brilliant centre-half, he makes too many mistakes – mistakes that I think go unnoticed. There was a goal they conceded when they went out a couple of seasons ago during covid in the Champions League and he has this languid style of run.” on Liverpool player Van Dijk.
“He seems to try and bide time but he doesn’t react. He was dragging down [Dominic] Solanke. That’s poor centre-half play even though he’s on the other side. I think he’s had a good 18 months and I know the injury has had an impact on that.”
“But that goal [by Billing] was not about the injury. I can’t quite put my finger on it because once [Solanke] gets away from him on that right side, he [Van Dijk] seems to stop and misjudge the situation.”
One of the best defenders to ever play in the Premier League is frequently said to be Van Dijk. Yet, according to Cundy, the 31-year-old Liverpool player is well below the calibre of a few of the league’s greatest players.
He added: “People compare him with John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, he’s not in the same league – he can’t lace their boots.”
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