Van Dijk stunned by progress of young Liverpool star - "I'd say you were lying!"

07 December 2023 , 12:50

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Van Dijk stunned by progress of young Liverpool star - "I'd say you were lying!"

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has heaped praise on Jarell Quansah and made clear he feels the youngster is ready to step up in the absence of Joel Matip.

Regular Reds defender Matip will have to undergo surgery scans confirmed that he has a ruptured ACL which will rule the 32-year-old out for the rest of the season. As a result, there is a vacancy in the heart of the Liverpool defence and Quansah has moved up the pecking order after some promising displays this term.

Given the hectic festive fixture list, rotation is absolutely key and Quansah could be in line to play his first full 90 minutes in the Premier League in the coming weeks. Given he is only 20 and boasts limited first-team experience, some sections of the Reds faithful may be reluctant to see him line-up every week as Liverpool chase down a title.

However, Van Dijk has publicly given the young defender his backing, which may reassure some of the more anxious Anfield regulars. “I think every time Jarell has had the opportunity so far he has done well," the Liverpool captain explained.

"When the moment is there for him — like every other player who will come in when we rotate or have injuries or suspensions — they have to be ready. We still have Ibou [Ibrahima Konate] and Joey [Joe Gomez], but Jarell is a very good option as well.

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"For all the younger generation, if you are close to the first team and training with us, you have to soak everything in. He’s a good boy. He wants to learn and he is learning.

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Jarell Quansah has impressed when called upon for Liverpool this season (Getty Images)

"If you told me at the start of the season he would be doing as well as he is doing, I’d say you were lying. We will see what the future brings for him but it looks quite bright."

Van Dijk is not alone in his stance on Qunasah. Manager Jurgen Klopp echoed a similar sentiment just last month. “If you would have asked me pre-season [if] he would be that good I would have been surprised,” he told reporters.

"But since then I saw him every day and I am not surprised any more. It’s great to have a boy from our own academy with that potential and quality."

John Cross