Jamie Carragher’s instant reaction to Liverpool signing Virgil van Dijk which ended up being scarily accurate

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Liverpool could wave goodbye to some truly legendary players when the curtain comes down on the 2024/25 campaign.

After another win on Saturday – this time against bottom-of-the-table Southampton, the Reds now need just six more victories to guarantee a 20th league title.

However, although there looks set to be celebrations at Anfield on May 25th, it could also yet be a day filled with sadness.

Virgil van Dijk will be the man to lift the Premier League trophy aloft if Liverpool do indeed get over the line. But with the big Dutchman out of contract in June, it could be his final act as a Liverpool player.

Since arriving for a whopping £75m in January 2018, Van Dijk has turned into one of the very best players in Liverpool history.

Rewind seven years into the past, though, and not everyone was convinced that his arrival from Southampton was going to be a success. One who sits on the right side of that slice of history is former Reds defender Jamie Carragher, who made a scarily accurate prediction about Van Dijk.

How Jamie Carragher reacted to Virgil van Dijk signing

Back in December 2017, Carragher was already one of the country’s top pundits. Having retired from playing and left Liverpool in 2013, he had made his name as a knowledgeable analyst on Sky Sports.

As a top centre-back in his day, it was only natural that Carragher was going to weigh in on Liverpool signing Van Dijk.

As it turned out, the pundit did so live on air with presenter Kelly Cates, while in the studio for a game at St James’ Park. As Cates revealed the ‘breaking news’ that Van Dijk was on his way to Anfield, she asked Carragher whether the Reds had got ‘the right man’.

“I think so, I think there is a dearth of top-class centre-backs throughout world football,” the Liverpool legend answered. “Hence why so many people wanted him and why the transfer fee is so high.”

READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk names two Liverpool players whose performances need to stop being overlooked

“I think people will look at the transfer fee because normally strikers go for that kind of figure,” Carragher continued. “But as with any transfer fee, if he performs well and does his job, what he’s been brought in for, it’ll be worth it.

“The one player I remember as a centre-back where the transfer fee felt so high was 15 years ago when Rio Ferdinand went to Manchester United for around £30m. But he repaid that, was Manchester United’s top centre-back, won trophies and was there for 10 years.

“That’s what Van Dijk has to do, take Liverpool to trophies and be Liverpool’s main, number one centre-back for the next decade or so.”

Carragher challenges Van Dijk to step up

While others were losing their heads and even writing Van Dijk of as a probable expensive flop, Carragher stands out as a voice of reason. He ended up being absolutely right.

One thing which he perhaps did not quite call correctly was questioning whether Van Dijk could be a ‘leader’ for Liverpool. However, seven years ago, before he developed into the captain and colossus he is in 2025, maybe that was fair, too.

“You think size, presence and pace,” said Carragher when asked what Van Dijk could bring to Liverpool.

“People talk about leadership, I think that remains to be seen really, whether he can bring that to Liverpool. He’s a better defender than what Liverpool have and that’s why manager’s go into the market, to improve the team.

“Looking at Van Dijk these last few months he needs to step up,” Carragher added, “He looks like he needs to get fitter maybe even lose a few pounds because he hasn’t been playing as much of late, he’s been on the bench.”

He may not be everyone’s cup of tea all of the time, but this is another exhibit of Carragher displaying that he knows what he’s talking about better than almost every other pundit around.