Van Dijk hails ‘very, very good’ 23-year-old who could start v Man City in Community Shield clash

Liverpool are blessed to have such quality in great depth as far as their centre-back options are concerned – a statement Virgil van Dijk would readily agree with.

The former Southampton star was keen to emphasise how highly he rates Ibrahima Konate, labelling the Frenchman a ‘very, very good player’.

“He’s a very, very good player. What I like the most about him is the will to learn each and every day as well,” the Dutchman told the club’s official website.

“Obviously there are loads of things that can improve – and that’s good because he has time, he needs the experience. In my opinion, experience is a big thing for a centre-half to learn and to take with you.

“In his case, I’m very happy to see him develop, I’m very happy to see him shine on and off the pitch, he’s a fantastic character.”

The former RB Leipzig man has impressed since his move away from the German top-flight, capping off a stellar opening campaign with a starting slot in the Reds XI for the ill-fated Champions League final in Paris.

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Starting in our strongest first-XI against the Die Roten Bullen last week, Jurgen Klopp gave a strong indication of what our starting lineup will look like come the clash with Manchester City in the Community Shield.

In light of how the 23-year-old finished the season, it would be far from surprising to see the former Mainz tactician put his faith in the centre-half alongside Virgil van Dijk for the 2022/23 season.

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