Liverpool podcaster Josh Williams has been talking about RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano as a potential ‘heir’ to Virgil van Dijk.
This comes after Williams recently made an appearance on the Liverpool Echo’s Blood Red Podcast where he spoke about a number of topics concerning the Merseyside club.
On the subject of a potential move to Anfield for Upamecano next summer, Williams had this to say on the matter.
He said: “If you’re looking for an heir to Van Dijk, or the next in line sort of thing, or [if] another club wants their own version of Van Dijk, I would go down the route of Upamecano.
“I think he’s a top player. In terms of being dominant, he is a dominant player, whether the ball is on the floor, or whether it’s in the air.”
Can Upamecano match up to Virgil van Dijk?
The 21-year-old centre-half, who is currently valued at £54 million, signed to the German club back in the 2017 January transfer window from RB Salzburg for a fee of £9 million.
Since then, the Frenchman has made a total of 117 appearances for Leipzig in which he has managed to score three goals and provide two assists along the way (per Transfermarkt).
Upamecano had a decent league campaign with Leipzig last season after earning himself a season rating of 7.06/10 for his performances in the 28 Bundesliga appearances he made (via WhoScored).
In Leipzig’s Champions League campaign last season, Upamecano earned himself an impressive season rating of 7.26/10, making him their highest-rated player throughout their eight Champions League fixtures.
According to WhoScored, Upamecano’s player strengths include his passing ability and his concentration levels during matches. This could potentially make him a good fit for Liverpool when Van Dijk eventually leaves the club because the same website claims the Dutchman has similar traits.
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The 21-year-old certainly showed last season that he is capable of performing to a high standard in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
Looking at how some of the Frenchman’s player strengths mirror Van Dijk’s, it’s clear to see why Williams thinks Upamecano could be a good fit at Liverpool in the future.