Redknapp says this will guarantee top four finish for Liverpool

Jamie Redknapp has said that the arrival of Virgil Van Dijk at Liverpool will guarantee the Merseyside club of a top four finish this season.

The Reds spent £75 million to sign the Dutch international and he became the most expensive defender in football history.

Many were sceptical about whether the player was actually worth the amount of money that was spent to recruit him.

Redknapp however feels that Klopp’s side did the right thing to sign Van Dijk, who is regarded as one of the best defenders in the Premier League and he feels that they are now likely to end up finishing in the top four this season.

“They have brought in a defender and if you look at where Liverpool’s problems have been over the last few years, it has been defensively,” the former Liverpool captain told Sky Sports.

“So the fact that they have got that money and brought in Van Dijk, who I think is going to be a huge success – I have said it from day one, he is the sort of player that they need.

“It gives them a defensive base they have not had. They need a leader and I have been saying it for a while.

“Defensively they have never had anyone – [Ragnar] Klaven, [Joel] Matip, [Dejan] Lovren – none of them are that standout centre-back that you look at and who is going to lead from the back, going to be a good talker.”