'Virgil van Dijk not the best Premier League defender in history' - Jaap Stam feels Liverpool captain no match for previous greats

Iconic Premier League defender Jaap Stam has expressed his belief that Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is not the best defender in Premier League history. The former Manchester United centre-back addressed what he sees as recency bias in the ongoing debate, offering his perspective on why he disagrees with those who consider the current Dutch international the greatest defender the English top flight has ever seen.

Van Dijk is widely celebrated for his time at Liverpool, but his Premier League journey began in 2015 when he joined Southampton, quickly catching attention with his strong performances in his debut season. In January 2018, he made a high-profile move to Liverpool, a club undergoing a major transition under Jurgen Klopp. His arrival coincided with a remarkable Champions League run, as Liverpool reached the final in the 2017-18 season, although they were defeated 3-1 by Real Madrid.

The following season, however, Van Dijk played a pivotal role as Liverpool won the Champions League, while also finishing second in the Premier League behind Manchester City. He finished as the runner-up in the 2019 Ballon d'Or rankings and was named UEFA's Men’s Player of the Year, cementing his place as one of the world’s top defenders.

In the 2019-20 season, despite a disappointing European campaign, Liverpool clinched their first Premier League title, with Van Dijk playing every minute of their victorious domestic campaign.

Though Van Dijk's achievements and immense impact on Liverpool are undeniable, Stam believes there have been other defenders in Premier League history who rank higher, offering a broader perspective on the debate over the league’s greatest ever defender.

Speaking to Sport Lens, Stam said: "Some people say that Virgil van Dijk is the best defender in Premier League history, but I cannot agree with that.

"It is sometimes said because fans remember the current period the best but we cannot forget about the game 20 or 25 years ago and the central defenders from that time. It’s tough to compare but if you look at our era there were more quality centre backs in the league competing with each other, we’re talking about world class centre backs. I’m happy for Van Dijk because he is a great guy with a great personality and of course we are both Dutch, but I don’t see him as the best defender in Premier League history."

The 33-year-old has just a little over six months left on his Liverpool contract. The Reds recently tabled a new offer, but according to reports, Van Dijk was not pleased with the offer. While it remains to be seen what lies in the future for Van Dijk, he will be keen to fire Liverpool to their first league title in five years under new boss Arne Slot.