It would be an understatement to say that the signing of Virgil van Dijk had a major effect on Liverpool and their trajectory as a club.
Could you imagine these two playing alongside each other? π€―π€© #LFC pic.twitter.com/NYe63yKbs2
β Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) March 26, 2020
The Dutch international transformed the Liverpool backline from a leaky source of goals for the opponents to one of the hardest defences in world football to break, with the Reds conceding just 21 goals in the Premier League this campaign.
But what if Van Dijk had the chance to play alongside one of the club’s best centre-backs in recent memory in the form of Sami Hyypia?
Who is the better defender?
Virgil van Dijk
Nemanja Vidic
The former Finish defender has long been a crowd favourite at Anfield, with Hyypia being part of the defence that won Liverpool the 2005 Champions League in Istanbul alongside Jamie Carragher and John Arne Riise. And some of Liverpool’s supporters on social media believe that the now-retired centre-back in his peak alongside Van Dijk would have been near-impossible to break.
Here’s what a few Liverpool supporters had to say about a potential Van Dijk/Hyypia defensive partnership on Twitter…
Oh yes.Giants.
β Grantieπ (@grantie_grant) March 26, 2020
They be on π₯
β Jesse Adnan (@jesse_adnan) March 26, 2020
Its rare to see someone matching the presence that Van Dijk has. Big Sami has that quality.
β Juha-Matti Luokomaa (@JuhisLuokomaa) March 26, 2020
β Harry (@harryoliver07) March 26, 2020
That would have been something to behold.. to absolute greats of the game… Sami was one of the most underrated players ever…
β David Borg (@davidoziborg) March 26, 2020
Magnet & Steel ππΌ
β Shovell (@shov3ll) March 26, 2020
Whilst Joe Gomez has done an excellent job alongside Van Dijk, it is hard to argue how good the Dutchman would be if Jurgen Klopp could play him next to a player of Hyypia’s quality.