talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino has said that Jurgen Klopp has “whipped” Virgil van Dijk into shape and has turned him into an “absolute monster”.
Cascarino said there were plenty of people who weren’t sure about the central defender before he moved to Liverpool.
However, he said that van Dijk needed to be challenged and got that from Klopp.
“Van Dijk needed a challenge and he got that at Liverpool,” Cascarino said on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast Show (talkSPORT, Friday, 6.30am).
“He needed someone who would whip his backside every now and again – in a good way, and that’s what he’s got with Klopp.
“There have been people who have looked at him and thought ‘I’m not too sure’… You need someone who will challenge you.”
OPINION
Van Dijk has made a huge leap forward as a Liverpool player and is now seen by many as the best centre-back in the world. That’s testament to his own talent but also to Klopp who has obviously pushed the player forward. Van Dijk and Alisson were two of the big reasons why Liverpool came so close to lifting their first ever Premier League trophy. In the end they just missed out but Liverpool are now title contenders and will be battling Man City for the league again next season. Liverpool only lost one game all season and won 97 points – that’s an incredible total for finishing second, and they now have the chance to put the seal on a brilliant season by winning the Champions League. Van Dijk will be confident that they can come out on top of Tottenham on Saturday night in Madrid but it won’t be an easy game, especially if Harry Kane makes his long-awaited return..