Who is Liverpool’s greatest player in modern history? Certainly, if we’re talking about post-millennial brilliance, Stephen Gerrard sits on top of a tree.
Gerrard may be the greatest player in Merseysider history anyway.
But here we have seen Liverpool’s revival over the past decade when Jurgen Klopp saved his team from drowsing and turned it into the light.
There have been so many superstars who have graced the Anfield pitch since the former German manager was appointed as Brendan Rogers’ successor, but it’s hard to oppose Virgil van Dick being a cream of the crop.
Virgil Van Dijk is a Liverpool hero
When Liverpool paid Southampton’s rival a total of £755 million to the Premier League to acquire a treasured centre-back in January 2018, many opposing fans laughed at such an obscene figure for the defender.
But it’s hard to say that Liverpool and their Dutch skipper didn’t have a final laugh. Van Dijk changed the Reds’ volatile backline, led them to glory, earning the greatest honor, and came to Lionel Messi’s whiskers at Baron D’OR Podium in his prime, immortalizing his name as his name as the leader of Liverpool.
The 33-year-old is no longer a bright new voice in the Premier League, but he still has matchless defense, so this season he was hoping to have Arne Slot’s teams surprise everyone and lead the way at the top of the table.
Virgil van Dyke’s Premier League performance (24/25) | |
---|---|
statistics (* = per game)* | van dijk |
Match (start) | 31 (31) |
the goal | 1 |
assist | 1 |
A beautiful sheet | 13 |
Pass completed | 92% |
Key Pass* | 0.3 |
Dribbling success | 60% |
Ball recovery* | 3.1 |
Tackle + Intercept* | 2.7 |
clearance* | 5.1 |
Total Duel (won)* | 4.7 (67%) |
Statistics via Sofascore |
And he’s not finished yet. Van Dijk has completed 313 Liverpool appearances and earned the full range. His favorable contract was 11 hours long, but healed fans’ concerns by confirming that a renewal talk is ongoing.
This is important to drive the Dutch icon to another year (or two) deeper into the rich Liverpool soil, as this will reach the second year of the slot project for the Anfield side.
To be fair, we must say that Mohamed Salah has been Liverpool’s best signature for a long time. The Egyptians joined the club for just £34 million from As Roma and claimed legendary status.
However, his arrival was before the skipper. He was tracked by another from Serie A, but it is him who he is proud of as Liverpool’s outstanding signature.
Best Signature after Van Dyke in Liverpool
You’ve probably already guessed who it is. Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Co have rebuilt Liverpool’s midfield and have called for the club’s charges for the Premier League title this season, but that’s not theirs.
Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakupo have been contributing to Liverpool’s success in recent years, but Alison Becker between the sticks, which has been life juice since Klopp’s arrival in the early dynasty knocking.
Liverpool paid a world record £67 million for the goalkeeper and secured Allison’s signature, but it still feels like a bargain. Simply put, Brazilian International’s positioning rivals are all pale in comparison.
Slot is happy to tip about the keeper’s caliber, calling for his “world class” save. He is the best and best, with a perfect illustration of his lofty skills in a stunning display at Park de Princess in February.
According to Sofa Scole, he made nine spectacular saves, preventing a total of 2.26 goals. South America called it “the performance of my life” as Liverpool somehow survived the constant onslaught and won.
The Expected Goal (XG) is a metric designed to measure the probability of a shot to achieve the goal.
First Leg Match Weiner Harvey Elliott calls his towering teammate “the best in the world.”
As you certainly know, this season isn’t the only time a 32 year old is in the fantastic Fettle. In May 2023, Klopp declared that the star who stopped his shots was the club’s “most consistent player” throughout the Test year.
In fact, injuries aside, Allison is rarely on the firing line for poor performance, as his leadership, command and shot-saving prowess is gathered together to present players that are truly a complete package.
Allison, who remains Liverpool when he returns to Liverpool Way, comments on the issues behind recruiting in recent years, the fact that Vandic has remained Liverpool’s best signature since he was brought to Klopp’s team six months ago.
It also details a rather solid assessment of the Reds’ absolute incredible lifespan, and has not actually made any drastic changes to divisional rivals over the past eight years or so.
Liverpool has done well to carefully unite Giorgi Mamardashvili, but whether they reach the same incredible heights as the Brazilians is a whole other question.
The Georgia Keeper is set to join Valencia this summer on a deal worth £209 million, but the 24-year-old will spend time working as a researcher for Allison and leave Khaoimhin Kelehar in search of his first choice spot.
Allison’s location is in Anfield for those who are foreseeable, but he is about to enter the penultimate year of the contract, and can also quit the transfer fee after a year or close the £150k £150k deal.
Either way, the 6-foot-4 feeling is one of Liverpool’s best modern players and has been extremely important and influential for many years. There have been a solid case since then that everyone who has passed through the gate has failed to surpass him.
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Arne Slot hopes to have a variety of signatures this summer to improve Liverpool’s Start 11.