Virgil van Dijk is the most valuable player available to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp claims Michael Owen.
The former Reds striker admits their front three are the ones who grab the headlines, but it is the Dutchman who is most crucial to their success.
Van Dijk moved to Anfield in January 2018 from Southampton and has since transformed their fortunes.
Klopp's side have never struggled to score goals, but it was keeping them out that undermined them in the German's early days.
The Dutchman cost £75m but it already looks good value given their success since.
"Well it's a great question," Owen said on ESPN when questioned over who Liverpool's most valuable asset is.
"Liverpool were probably struggling for a period of time and Jurgen Klopp went: 'Right, central defence and goalkeeper, they're the big problem areas for us'.
"And he went and got possibly the best two players in the world in those places in Alisson and Van Dijk.
"Who's the most important player? The front three get a lot of headlines of course. The two full-backs get a lot of headlines, they're amazing.
"Probably the area of the pitch that gets the least headlines is the midfield, the three midfielders.
"But a lot of people are now starting to think that Jordan Henderson has such a huge influence on that team and I'd have to agree with that.
"But if you asked me what player, what one player Liverpool are probably most dependent on that they wouldn't want out for a full season, I would probably say Virgil van Dijk."
Last season Liverpool kept 21 clean sheets as they narrowly missed out on the title.
It was also well known that no player managed to dribble past the Dutchman as he remained an ever present in the Reds back four.
