A current Liverpool player has been hailed as the ‘best’ player in his position by one of his former managers, who suggested that a Premier League rival should’ve tried to swoop for him.
Neil Lennon – who previously managed Celtic in the Champions League – was a guest on PLZ Soccer‘s The Football Show when he was discussing players Chelsea could’ve attempted to lure, considering their lavish spending during Todd Boehly’s ownership reign.
When asked about defenders the Blues should’ve gone for, the 52-year-old mentioned someone who was once part of his squad at Parkhead – a certain Virgil van Dijk.
The former Hoops boss said: “At centre-half, they’ve got Thiago [Silva]. He’s still playing great. Who’s the best centre-half out there? Van Dijk, you know, somebody like that.”
Liverpool might have sold players directly to Chelsea in the past – Fernando Torres and Raul Meireles spring to mind – but even a club with as chaotic a transfer policy as the west Londoners would’ve known better than to waste their time trying to sign our powerhouse of a captain.
Leaving aside Lennon’s suggestion that the 32-year-old might’ve been a remotely plausible target for the Blues, it’s refreshing to hear the ex-Celtic manager talking up the Reds’ number 4, in what marks a welcome change from other pundits firing ridiculous criticism at him.
You can view Lennon’s comments below (from 55:56), via PLZ Soccer – The Football Show on YouTube: