Virgil van Dijk has been one of Liverpool’s best players over the last few seasons.
The centre-back has quickly become one of the most important parts of the Reds’ team, with his leadership one of the main reasons why Liverpool’s back line is so strong.
The 2025-26 season couldn’t have started any better for Arne Slot and his men either, with the club winning all their games thus far aside from their Community Shield clash against Crystal Palace.
And, although Van Dijk has been an important part of their wins, the performances of Ryan Gravenberch have arguably been more important.
Last term, the Dutchman really came into his own, and now, he’s seen as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, with his fellow countryman saying that he’s “very pleased” for him.
Virgil van Dijk has been left in awe of Ryan Gravenberch’s Liverpool performances
One thing that has been made clear this season is that Gravenberch is going to have an important role to play once again.
The midfielder is key to the way that Liverpool play, with his defensive contributions often helping the Reds out when they get into a pickle.
He’s also only 23 years old, which means that he’s set to be a Liverpool player for many years to come.
And, after their 2-1 win against Everton on Saturday, Van Dijk shared his thoughts on the performances of the £34million man.
“Not just this season, he’s been playing like that from the moment last season started,” Van Dijk said to BBC Sport.
“He’s unbelievable. He’s very important to the way we play.
“You see the amount of times I try to look for him. It benefits him, me and the team. He’s in incredible shape. He’s in the form of his life.
“He has to keep going. He’s still young.
“The expectation level will always be right up there, and that’s what he has to try to reach every three or four days. It’s a nice challenge.
“During his first season here, he hardly played. It’s a mix of everything: getting confidence, progressing and improving as a player, playing games at the highest level and knowing your role in the team.
“I’m very pleased for him because he puts in a lot of hard work to do what he is doing.”
Liverpool need Stefan Bajcetic to step up and take some pressure off the shoulders of Ryan Gravenberch
Towards the end of last season, it was clear that Gravenberch was being overused.
The midfielder was becoming tired towards the end of games, with Wataru Endo often coming on to relieve him of his duties.
And, even though the Japan international is still around, it’s clear that the Reds need to find a younger player to take over his role.
At the moment, the Reds have a choice between James McConnell and Stefan Bajcetic.
McConnell is currently on loan to Ajax, with Bajcetic still hovering around Liverpool’s youth ranks.
If Slot wants his men to be competitive, he needs more than one top-class player for each position, with Bajcetic the most likely to fill in once Endo leaves.
Indeed, the former Stuttgart man can be used for games such as the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, but, in reality, he isn’t up to the standards that a Premier League title-chasing team needs.
So, if Bajcetic manages to step up and take some pressure off Gravenberch’s shoulders this term, it would put Liverpool in a much better position.
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