People said it was crazy to pay £70 million for a centre-back - Mauricio Pochettino believes Liverpool were right to spend big on Virgil van Dijk
What's the story?
Tottenham Hotspur boss, Mauricio Pochettino, has hailed Liverpool's decision to spend big on centre-back, Virgil van Dijk, who has emerged as a pivotal figure in the Merseyside outfit's race for the Premier League title.
In case you didn't know...
Van Dijk left Southampton to join the Reds on January 2018 in a £70 million transfer that made him the most expensive defender ever.
Since then, the Dutchman has helped Liverpool to a record 17 clean sheets, having conceded only 18 goals in the entire season so far.
The 26-year-old has recently insisted that a title-winning campaign is exactly what he was looking for when he left the Saints.
Speaking to Liverpool's official website, he said,
"It's definitely what I wanted. You hope to be in this kind of position - challenging for the Premier League title, being as far as we are in the Champions League now and reaching the final last season."
"I think the ultimate thing would be winning something with Liverpool and we still have any chance to win it. So let's just go for it."
"The most important thing is to enjoy it. We have to give it our all and make sure we have no regrets at the end of it."
The heart of the matter
Pochettino believes Van Dijk has more than justified his hefty price tag at Anfield, admitting that Liverpool was right to spend.
Speaking to reporters, (via Goal), he said,
"When a team like Liverpool need to improve their team in a certain area, people said it was crazy to pay £70m for a centre-back."
"But Liverpool were right. They picked Van Dijk, because at that moment they believed he was the best centre-back in England who could make them better, and they were right."
"Some people said, ‘Why would you pay £70m for a centre-back?’ But the people who believed other things have now been shown that Liverpool were right."
"If you are going to sign the player who is going to improve your team, then it is not a lot of money."
"Because when you consider what it means to win a Champions League or a Premier League, it is cheaper to spend this type of money."
What's next?
Liverpool will hope to win a crucial three points when they face Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow night.