Former Everton defender Alan Stubbs believes Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk is the “best” centre-half in the Premier League.

Speaking to BestBettingSites.com, Stubbs said that the Dutchman “ticks all the boxes” in terms of what is required of the position:

“When picking the best centre backs in the Premier League, the first one has to be Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. Virgil is a Rolls Royce of a centre back.”

“He ticks all the boxes in everything that you want from a modern-day centre back. He’s quick, he’s strong. He reads the game well, he’s very comfortable on the ball, and he’s a leader.”

“I don’t see a huge amount of leaders in the game right now, and I think Virgil is certainly up there with the most authoritative players in the Premier League in terms of leadership skills.”

“You see that from the way he holds himself on the pitch. He’s always dictating, he’s always pointing. He’s always getting players switched on. He plays with a confidence and gravitas that world-class players have, and he’s earned that respect over the years from his fellow professionals. He’s the type of defender that lives rent-free in the mind of a striker before the whistle even blows because of his amazing ability. He’s a centre-back with fantastic qualities.”

When asked to give his top 3 centre-halves, Stubbs chose Arsenal duo William Saliba and Gabriel as the best below van Dijk:

“They have formed the best centre back pairing in the league and they love keeping clean sheets. They’re the backbone of Arsenal’s team and are one of the reasons why I’ve tipped them to win the title this season.”

Van Dijk is the complete centre-back

The 33-year-old can do it all as Stubbs points out. He is dominant in the air at both ends of the pitch, while being able to cover the ground to keep up with most strikers.

Van Dijk‘s ability in possession should not be overlooked either. His long, raking diagonal balls to Mo Salah have become his trademark.

Will the Liverpool captain stay at Anfield beyond the summer?

The Netherlands international’s contract with the Reds does expire in June and, so far, there has been no breakthrough in talks over extending his stay.

Van Dijk has hinted that he would be interested in remaining with the Merseyside club but a compromise will have to be found for an agreement over a new deal to be struck.

Find out who is in Liverpool’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here