Now, when Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is brought up in conversation – usually while discussing the finest central defenders in Premier League history – there are a few stand-out attributes which immediately come to mind.
The way the Dutch colossus uses his sky-scraping 6ft 5ins frame to effortlessly ease opposition attackers off the ball.
The way he dominates in the air like few others can. The sort of booming header with which Virgil van Dijk secured Liverpool’s 2-1 win over West Ham United last weekend, the man for the biggest of occasions putting Arne Slot’s team potentially just one game away from a second-ever Premier League title.
Even at 33, with his 34th birthday only three months away, there is barely a hint of a decline in the £75 million giant’s game.
But, when discussing Virgil van Dijk and his seemingly-unwavering importance to the Liverpool cause, Slot was keen to highlight another, perhaps less-heralded attribute.
One which arguably cement’s his position as, if not the best, then maybe the most complete centre-back of his generation.
Arne Slot says Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is ‘so, so good’ on the ball
If there is one major difference between Arne Slot’s Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp’s, it is the patience in which they build up from the back.
And, fortunately, Van Dijk fits the former Feyenoord bosses tactics like a glove.
With a 91.7 per cent pass success rate in the Premier League and a 92.3 per cent success rate in the Champions League, the former Southampton star is producing the best ball-progression numbers of his career on Slot’s watch.
“It’s difficult to describe. You know how important he is when you see him as a player. Everyone has complimented him over the years as a defender. [But] I mostly watch football and look at possession,” says Slot, who’s Eredivisie-conquering Feyenoord side from 2023 were structured in largely the same way.
“He is so, so good at bringing it out from the back.
“The diagonal passes, the through ball, the leader he is… That is something I haven’t worked with before.”
Ibrahima Konate improving but Jarell Quansah has a lot to learn
Often when discussing his central defenders, Slot is keen to highlight the ball-playing qualities he looks for.
Slot feels Van Dijk’s usual partner Ibrahima Konate has ‘improved on the ball’ this term. Klopp’s successor has also suggested that the lack of starts afforded to Jarell Quansah in recent months is because he feels Konate is more suited to his build-from-the back tactics.
Slot left Quansah on the bench at Everton a few weeks back, feeling felt Liverpool ‘had to play better with the ball’. This is likely to be a driving force behind The Reds’ pursuit of another defensive option ahead of the summer transfer window too, as Liverpool open talks for Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen.
Right now though, with Van Dijk committing his next two years to life on Merseyside, a substantial central defensive overhaul can wait.
“[Van Dijk is integral because of] the energy he brings to the team, how professional he is and how he tries to help his team-mates,” Slot adds. “The good thing with him is he has attributes that help here.”
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