Van Dijk reflects on Liverpool move and why he no longer studies strikers
by Temisan AmoyeKindly Share This Story:
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk feels vindicated in his 2018 move to Anfield by the success he has enjoyed with the Reds so far, despite having had to effectively force his way out of former club Southampton to even make it possible.
Van Dijk submitted a formal transfer request to Southampton in the summer of 2017 during Liverpool’s initial interest and didn’t start a Premier League game for the Saints until the end of September that season owing to the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Liverpool went back in for him in December and Southampton finally relented, accepting a world record £75m fee for a transfer that was made official in January.
ALSO READ: How Liverpool missed out on C. Ronaldo and John Terry ― Thompson
Whether or not people believe Van Dijk went about securing his exit in the right way, the player himself has been justified by Champions League glory, a FIFA Club World Cup, individual accolades and an impending English league title – Liverpool’s first in 31 years.
“The decision I made has not been too bad!’ he is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. “I’m 28 now and I want to fulfill every dream I ever had. Life can be short. Your career can be short as well.
ALSO READ: Bishop Oyedope in rage as U.S denies him Visa
“I want to enjoy every minute of it. I’m enjoying playing with this team and this manager. We can’t look too far ahead. But right now, I’m enjoying it,” he added.
Having finished second only to Lionel Messi in the 2018 Best FIFA Men’s Player and Ballon d’Or standings, Van Dijk is widely recognized as the best defender in the world.
Rather than focus on who he is playing against, the Dutchman has explained that he now concentrates more on his own game and no longer feels the need to study opposing strikers.
“At this stage you don’t need to study strikers any more,” he said.
“Normally you know their strengths and weaknesses. You try to prepare as well as possible but most of the time, it’s to make sure you’re 100 percent ready. The strikers we are facing at the moment we have played against many times.”
Source: Fotmob
Kindly Share This Story: