Historical transfer Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool

Virgil van Dijk exchanges Southampton on 1 January for Liverpool. Liverpool pays no less than 84 million euros for the Dutchman, who comes from the youth of the small football club FC Groningen. Virgil is thus the most expensive defender of all time.

Liverpool confirmed the transfer Wednesday via the official channels. Van Dijk, who was under contract with Southampton until mid-2022, will be wearing number four at the Premier League club.

Liverpool also attempted to capture Van Dijk last summer, but the current number four of the Premier League did not approach the sixteen-time Orange-national at the time.

Reactions from famous football critics:

Gary Neville

Gary Neville, who, as a defender with Manchester United in 1999 won the Champions League and played 85 international matches for England, calls the transfer fee that Liverpool pays "incredible". "It's a huge amount of money," says 42-year-old Neville against Sky Sports. "When I first heard that it was £ 75 million, I was very surprised, not about the transfer itself, but about the amount of the transfer fee." Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp had to choose in the first half of the season from the center defenders Ragnar Klavan, Joël Matip and Goran Lovren. "Liverpool clearly needed new supporters," says Neville. "That's why they had to pay a lot, because that's how the market works and that will not change." "This is a great deal for Southampton, but if Liverpool with the arrival of Van Dijk no longer succumbs when they come under pressure in big races, people will soon forget how much money has been paid." "If Liverpool starts to grab prizes within two years thanks to the strengthened defense, then this transfer can be worth its money."

Alan Shearer

Former top striker Alan Shearer is also surprised about the amount of the transfer fee. "Van Dijk is a good player, but £ 75 million? No, he is totally not worth it," he told BBC. "Southampton could have mentioned any amount they wanted, it was well known that Liverpool was desperate for a center defender," said Shearer. "We have seen several times this season that the lack of a good defender has broken them up." Until Wednesday Benjamin Mendy was the most expensive defender in the world. Manchester City paid 58 million last summer to take over the left back from AS Monaco. "We have been saying it for a number of years: the transfer amounts are shooting through the ceiling, and Van Dijk's transfer brings us to a whole new level", says the 47-year-old Shearer, who is top scorer of the Premier League with 260 goals. .

Jamie Carragher

Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher (39), who played 668 duels for the 'Reds', responded to Twitter on the purchase of his former club. "Van Dijk is better in the air than I was, he is faster and calmer and does not make his own goals!" Opposite The Mirror, Carragher has an explanation for the amount of the transfer fee. "The last few days it was rumored that Manchester City was also behind Van Dijk, he could replace Vincent Kompany", the Englishman refers to the Belgian defender of City, who again injured on Wednesday.

These enormous transfer amounts are not new anymore after last summer. But with this transfer a new record is set with the amount of 84 million euros where it concerns a defensive player. Whether or not it is a good purchase for Liverpool should be evident in the coming months if van Dijk is directly drafted and thus plays.

What is your opinion regarding such transfers in football and do you see this as a good move from Liverpool?