Ahead of the all-star Premier League clash this weekend, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has spoken about Virgil van Dijk’s transfer fee when he joined Liverpool.
The Dutchman has been nothing short of a revelation since swapping Southampton’s red shirt for our own, but his £75million price tag wasn’t to everyone’s taste.
It seems Pochettino falls on our side in the matter. “It made a good point,” he’s quoted as saying by the Star. “When a team like Liverpool need to improve their team in a certain area, people said it was crazy to pay £70million for a centre-back.
“But Liverpool were right. They picked van Dijk, because at that moment they believed he was the best centre-back in England who could make them better, and they were right.
“Some people said, ‘Why would you pay £70million for a centre-back?’ But the people who believed other things have now been shown that Liverpool were right.
“If you are going to sign the player who is going to improve your team, then it is not a lot of money. Because when you consider what it means to win a Champions League or a Premier League, it is cheaper to spend this type of money.”
The Reds finished two points behind Spurs last season, but now sit 15 points ahead of the Londoners with seven-eight games remaining – and it seems Poch is taking this opportunity to fire a passive message up the Spurs’ hierarchy.
Spurs’ last first-team signing was Lucas Moura, almost 15 months ago, and it seems Pochettino is looking at Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp with loving eyes.
Liverpool host the Londoners this weekend at Anfield; a win will see us stay at the top of the Premier League table no matter what,
Obviously, Manchester City have a game in hand so they still have the advantage. A win would keep the pressure on our title rivals though!