Van Dijk is the missing piece Liverpool have been looking for - Agger

Virgil van Dijk is “what Liverpool have been missing”, says Daniel Agger, with the Dutch centre-half proving to be the final piece required for a Premier League title challenge.

The Reds needed to break a world transfer record in order to land the Netherlands international.

Jurgen Klopp parted with a £75 million ($99m) fee to lure Van Dijk away from Southampton and make him the costliest defender on the planet.

An immediate return has been offered on that investment, with Liverpool now competing for domestic dominance in England alongside reigning champions Manchester City.

Van Dijk is considered to have pushed them into that race, with Agger telling the Liverpool Echo of the commanding 27-year-old: "He has changed not only the defence but the whole team.

"He's definitely what Liverpool have been missing the last couple of seasons.

"So he's changed a lot just with his presence and he looks like a strong leader and he's a good footballer as well, so that's a good combination.

"I think he has made the whole team better but we have Alisson in goal as well and he has changed a lot too.

"To have somebody there you can trust and you can rely on and you feel comfortable with is important as well, especially for the defenders."

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While talking up the impact made by Van Dijk and Alisson at Anfield, Agger has also paid tribute to the work of Klopp.

Liverpool are in the Premier League title picture for the first time since 2014, with their German tactician hoping to succeed where predecessor Brendan Rodgers failed.

Agger, who formed part of the last side to compete for the crown, added on the last two managers to oversee events on Merseyside: "They're different. They are two different characters with different ways but I like Jurgen.

"I really, really like his mentality and the way he presents himself and he is always behind his players, demanding a lot of them and that's what you need in a manager."

Liverpool are due to return to domestic action after the international break with a home date against top-four hopefuls Tottenham on March 31.