Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has admitted he wasn’t close to reaching the level of Arsenal’s William Saliba at the same age.
Saliba, now 23, has been compared to the 33-year-old Anfield star after his rapid rise with Arsenal over the past three seasons.
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After joining the Gunners for £27 million in 2019, Saliba’s career seemed in danger of stalling as he spent three seasons on loan back in France…Continue Reading
But Mikel Arteta eventually brought him into the Arsenal first-team squad ahead of the 2022-23 season.
The French defender quickly proved himself to be one of the Premier League’s top defenders, helping Arsenal contend with Manchester City for the title.
Saliba played a crucial role in Arsenal’s campaign last season, as they finished just two points behind Man City. He also became the first outfield player in Arsenal’s history to play every minute of a Premier League season.
When asked which defenders have impressed him, Van Dijk mentioned Saliba and acknowledged that he wasn’t at Saliba’s level at the same age.
‘Obviously, Saliba is making very good steps at the moment,’ he told ex-Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel.
‘He’s the first one I have in mind right now. You know, he’s a solid one. I think in possession he’s doing a good job.’
Ferdinand then asked: ‘Does he remind you of yourself a little bit? Because I liken him to you a little bit in a lot of aspects of his game.’
Van Dijk responded: ‘Yeah, maybe. ‘You know, I think if I’m honest, when I was that age, I was nowhere near where he is today. And obviously that’s the beauty of football as well.
‘You know, I like to watch other defenders and pick up so many stuff from them. There are so many good ballplayers. You can always pick up certain things.’
Van Dijk was a vital part of the Jurgen Klopp team that won the Premier League in 2020 and the Champions League in 2019. He came close to winning the Ballon d’Or that year, finishing as runner-up behind Lionel Messi.
Asked which opposition clubs he has found life toughest against in recent years, Van Dijk said: ‘I would say Man City and Arsenal.
‘It’s always tough against them,’ the Netherlands international added. ‘You know if you’re not focused for a second or slip up, you can get punished immediately.
‘That’s the beauty of the Premier League, you’re playing against top strikers week in, week out.’
Saliba, meanwhile, rates Van Dijk as the best defender in the Premier League in recent years, though he believes Man City’s Ruben Dias surpassed him last season.
‘Right now, honestly, it’s Ruben Dias,’ the Gunners star recently said. ‘Normally for me it is Van Dijk – he is the best.
‘Over the last four years he was the best in the world, but for me last season it was Ruben Dias, Van Dijk second and then Thiago Silva third.
‘I hope maybe I will be top three next season, but I think maybe they are better than me right now.
‘It’s not good to say they are better, but they are right now better than me but I hope one day I will be better than everyone here.’
