Gary Neville admits Virgil van Dijk has provded him wrong following his switch from Southampton .
Liverpool splashed out £75million to take the Dutchman from St Mary's just over a year ago.
Sky Sports pundit Neville admits he raised his eyebrows at the massive price tag - a world record for a defender - but the centre-back has proved he was great value.
Speaking ahead of Van Dijk's return to Southampton, Neville said: “I wish another club had bought him…
“It wasn’t the signing itself that surprised me. It was the amount, the sum.
“I remember when Manchester City signed Kyle Walker for £50m, it sort of made me think ‘wow, that is incredible’. It was the same for Virgil van Dijk.
“However watching him I’m this last 12 months, I mean everybody has given him the praise that he deserves.
“He’s been absolutely outstanding. I remember looking back at my career and for instance Gary Pallister, Jaap Stam, Rio Ferdinand - a defender in a team who makes everybody feel safe.
“Every time I watch Liverpool play and the ball gets played forward, even if Matip misses it or the two full-backs aren’t quite there because they’ve gone forward, he just seems to cover the whole back four as one defender.
“He is a unique defender. Varane and Ramos have been the best centre backs in the world for me theist few years.
Gary Neville names shock Man City banana skin that could boost Liverpool's hopes
“But there’s no doubt this guy is now going to be up there the next few years as the best centre-half in the world. I’ve not seen a centre-half as good as him for a long, long time.
“His in-possession play, his passing is a joke. It’s unbelievable. The trajectory of his passing. He passes it like a central midfield player. He heads it.
“To me, he’s the player in the team every Liverpool player will say ‘he can’t get injured’. He’s the done who has got to stay fit.
“100 per cent for me (player of the year). Not even anybody even close to him.”
