Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Red-hot star would ‘work really well’ at Liverpool as van Dijk comparison made

Kyogo Furuhasi Celtic

Pundit Pat Nevin thinks one in-form star could follow in Virgil van Dijk’s footsteps by becoming a stalwart at Liverpool.

The centre-back broke into FC Groningen’s first team in his native Holland before joining Celtic in 2013. After some impressive displays over the next two years, van Dijk moved to the Premier when Southampton came calling.

van Dijk proved himself to be a reliable defender, which is exactly what Liverpool needed in 2018. They made him the world’s most expensive defender by completing a £75m deal, although the record has since been broken by Harry Maguire.

van Dijk’s assured performances have taken the Reds to a whole new level. They have won the Champions League and Premier League in recent years and could repeat such success this campaign.

His influence is so big that Liverpool have never lost a Premier League game at Anfield while he has been in the team. That is an incredible 55 matches, with 47 ending in victory.

Nevin reckons Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi has what it takes to shine for either Liverpool or Man City.

He is a 26-year-old left winger with a great goalscoring record – 16 in 25 games this season, to be precise.

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On the Japan international, Nevin said (via The Boot Room): “There’s a lot of clubs that will be watching him right this second. I think he’d be best suited for a Liverpool or a Manchester City. He’d work really, really well there.

“I suspect he would probably have to take a step before he made that one. He would go to one of the other clubs lower down the table, similar to the way Van Dijk did. From Southampton to Liverpool.

“Furuhashi, if I’m looking at Scotland right now, by a distance is the one teams should be looking at.”

Liverpool target reaches decision on future

Meanwhile, rumoured Liverpool target Ousmane Dembele has finally come to a decision on his future.

The France international is in the final few months of his contract with Barcelona. He can organise a pre-contract agreement with another team in January if he so wishes.

But Barca boss Xavi claims the winger will reject the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle to remain at the Camp Nou. “I feel positive with him again,” the manager said.

“Ousmane says that he wants to continue, that he is happy here.

“It is a matter of agreeing with his representative. He knows about the importance he will have if he stays.”

Dembele has made 125 appearances for the Spanish giants, scoring on 30 occasions. His time there has been plagued by injury but it is hoped Xavi can turn him into a world-class forward.

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