Virgil van Dijk has congratulated Kevin De Bruyne on becoming his successor as the PFA Player of the Year.
Manchester City star De Bruyne was confirmed as the 2019/20 winner on Tuesday evening, just days away from the beginning of the delayed 2020/21 campaign.
Liverpool star Van Dijk had been in the running to pick up the award for a second successive season, but instead De Bruyne became the first ever City player to be honoured by his top-flight peers.
Responding to a video De Bruyne tweeted celebrating his success, Van Dijk wrote: "Not a bad one to win I guess. Congratulations well deserved big man!"
De Bruyne was seen as the outstanding individual talent in a season which was dominated by the team displays of champions Liverpool, who ended up winning the league by 18 points from second-placed City.
Reds skipper Jordan Henderson was another Liverpool player who was up for the award, and he too was quick to congratulate De Bruyne.
"Congratulations to Kevin de Bruyne on winning the PFA Players' Player of the Year award," he tweeted.
"Class act on and off the pitch. Well deserved."
De Bruyne thanked the players for voting for him, adding that it was extra special to be the first winner from City.
"This is a big honour," he said.
"To be voted by your colleagues, competitors from other teams who you always play against on the field. That they vote for you for best player; it's amazing.
"It's maybe strange that I'm the first one at City, seeing all the good players who played there before and who are still playing. But it's nice to represent the club."
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