Virgil van Dijk will be considered the greatest Liverpool defender ever if he maintains his form for the remainder of his Anfield career, says Mark Lawrenson.
The £75million man has sustained a remarkable level of consistency since becoming the most expensive centre-back in world football in January 2018 and saw his imperious displays Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's message to new PFA Players' Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk award.
The Netherlands skipper clinched the prestigious honour at London's Grovesnor House Hotel after edging out Manchester City star Raheem Sterling on Sunday evening.
Van Dijk has been the catalyst behind a stunning improvement Virgil van Dijk on how Jurgen Klopp inspires his Liverpool players to chase legendary status and the Reds are in a position to end the Premier League campaign with more clean sheets than goals conceded this term.
The Liverpool star's form has inevitably led to conversations about Van Dijk's standing in world football and Lawrenson is convinced the Holland captain is good enough to become an Anfield icon.
Virgil van Dijk on how Jurgen Klopp inspires his Liverpool players to chase legendary status
In fact, Lawrenson, who won 10 major honours with the Reds as a classy central defender, believes Van Dijk could even become known as Liverpool's finest of all time by the time he leaves the club.
"Van Dijk has just been immense, hasn't he? You look at Liverpool's defence and they have the best record in the Premier League and he's been so key to that," he told the ECHO.
"Joel Matip has come in and gone from being fourth choice to perhaps now even maybe second. Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren have also played their part, but Van Dijk has been there all season and he's just made everyone next to him better.
"I just think anyone could look great next to Van Dijk, he is that good. That's not to say the other defenders haven't played well, of course.
"He could be the best ever, he is seriously that good. It's not that Van Dijk came and fixed a weakness, it was the inherent problem that everyone knew Liverpool had.
"If he maintains the level he is at for the next three or four years or however long he is at Liverpool, and they start winning the trophies they are threatening to, then I think he must go down as the best centre-back the club's had.
"I think even the likes of Thommo (Phil Thompson) will have no problem saying that, either. He has just been huge for the club since signing in January last year."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's message to new PFA Players' Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk
Van Dijk was initially courted by Liverpool in the summer of 2017 before the club were forced to hastily drop their interest after Southampton threatened to complain of a 'tapping up' of their then captain.
After a public apology, the Reds returned for Van Dijk at the turn of the year and made him a club-record signing 15 months ago.
Lawrenson believes Klopp deserves recognition for his single-minded desire to stick to his first choice when the initial transfer plans collapsed nearly two years ago.
Lawrenson added: "He wanted him from the beginning and got him and it was great that he never settled for another back-up option.
"The club's American owners (Fenway Sports Group) have just let Klopp get on with it at Anfield and backed him all the way. He has proven them right.
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"The goalkeeper (Alisson) has also had a massive impact and I think the £75m spent for Van Dijk has shown Klopp was right all along."
Mark Lawrenson is a Paddy Power ambassador, to read more go to news.paddypower.com
