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Premier League forwards will be running into the Virgil van Dijk brick wall for at least two more years but where does the Dutchman rank among the league’s very best defenders? Liverpool confirmed the 33-year-old has put pen to paper on a new deal which got us thinking how he would fare in the top 10 centre-backs of Premier League history. 10) Jamie Carragher If we are going off talent alone, Jamie Carragher may not make this list but if we factor in longevity then he deserves a spot. Having committed the cardinal sin of swapping your boyhood club for their rivals, Carragher went on to make 737 appearances for Liverpool, the second most in the club’s history.
However, there is a glaring absence in his trophy cabinet. The 2005 Champions League final remains his, and one of the club’s, biggest moments but away from that, Carragher ended his career with just two FA Cups and three League Cups domestically, missing the most coveted prize of all: the league title. He also made just 38 appearances for England, struggling to break into the team with better options ahead of him.
9) Steve Bruce When thinking of the best players never to get an England cap , Steve Bruce is a name that is often mentioned for good reason. He had nine seasons with United during the ’90s in which he won three league titles, three FA Cups and a League Cup, but he was gone by the time the Treble rolled around, meaning he missed out on the ultimate European success. However, while he was good at preventing goals, he knew how to find the net too and in the 1990/91 season, he scored 19 in all competitions, more than most defenders get in their career.
8) Jaap Stam The one who got away for Sir Alex Ferguson. It is hard to find any picture of the Dutchman which does not make him look hard as nails and he was part of the United team that won the treble, becoming the first English side to do so. He left United in 2007 with Fergie preferring Laurent Blanc but it was the great mistake of his career with the Scot even later admitting his error.
READ MORE : Five teams who backed their manager over a star player 7) Sol Campbell While it is a name that still cannot be uttered in some parts of north London, even the most die-hard Tottenham fans cannot argue against the idea that Sol Campbell was a very good defender. Having swapped Spurs for Arsenal, Arsene Wenger described the player as “indestructible” and he became a mainstay at the back for the Frenchman. Partnering Tony Adams and then Martin Keown, he would become an Invincible alongside Kolo Toure.
A colourful character off it, on the pitch at least Campbell was one of the best the league has ever seen. 6) Nemanja Vidic Tough-tackling is a phrase that is often attached to Nemanja Vidic but away from his frankly absurd willingness to put his body on the line, the Serbian was an excellent player. If it was Ferdninad’s job to start play from the back, Vidic took up the role of the last line of defence, willing to do just about anything to stop the opposition.
But he was not without his fallacies, especially when it came to facing Fernando Torres. The Spaniard, whilst he was at Liverpool, caused Vidic more problems than any other player and this weakness was something you never saw in the players higher up this list. 5) Tony Adams Definitely the best defender of his time but the game has moved on so much that it is hard to tell how he would compare against the modern crop of centre-halves.
But Tony Adams cannot help which era he was born in and his 669 appearances and 10 major trophies rightfully earned him the nickname of Mr. Arsenal. Adams was great in the air but also a strong leader, captaining Arsenal for 14 years until he hung up his boots.
4) Vincent Kompany Signed before the Abu Dhabi takeover was completed, Vincent Kompany became one of Manchester City’s most important players of their new era. Although injuries hampered him – he missed 186 games in 11 seasons at the Etihad – he was undoubtedly one of the best players in the league and the fact that City suffered such a drop-off when he was not fit only highlighted his quality even more. His goal against Leicester to practically win the league was his most notable contribution but the City he first joined was very different to the one he left and he had more to do with that than most.
3) John Terry The 2009 Dad of the Year may not be the nicest chap off the field, but on it there are few who would argue his ability as a defender. In his 492 games for Chelsea, he helped keep 214 clean sheets and was a vital cog in the title-winning teams of Jose Mourinho. What perhaps does for Terry, though, is his lack of pace compared to other centre-backs.
When Antonio Conte won the league with a back three, Terry played just nine times, demonstrating his need for the right system around him and his final year at Aston Villa, even if he was 36 by then, only showed that more. And then there was all the off-pitch stuff which considering his Wikipedia page has entries labelled ‘extramarital affair allegations’ and ‘racial abuse allegations’, is something we cannot get into. 2) Rio Ferdinand It could be argued Rio Ferdinand was a defender ahead of his time with his range of passing more akin to centre-backs of the present day but that talent, as well as his defending ability, makes him one of the best in Premier League history.
Ferdinand started his career at West Ham before moving to Leeds then on to Manchester United for a record fee but the £18million paid by the Old Trafford club was quickly vindicated. The England defender was a constant in Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, playing 20 or more league matches in all but four of his 14 seasons at Old Trafford, and winning six Premier League titles during his time there. Just don’t show him videos of how Phil Jagielka plays.
MORE FEATURES ON F365 👉 Best 20 footballers out of contract and available for free this summer 👉 Reassigning Tottenham stars wanting transfers after inevitable Europa League exit 👉 Premier League table for 2025 shows Newcastle are matching Arsenal 1) Virgil van Dijk Being the best defender of all time while still playing is quite the accolade but Virgil van Dijk has more than earned it. Many baulked at the £75million Liverpool paid Southampton but the Dutchman has transformed Liverpool from comical at the back to one of Europe’s toughest teams to beat. More than the stats and trophies, you need only watch Van Dijk play to understand why he has to be considered the best.
Tall but tactful, strong but skilful, muscular but magical. Van Dijk’s performances earned him second in the 2019 Ballon d’Or vote and if you asked Liverpool fans which of their Contract Three they would have most liked to keep earlier in the season, chances are the majority of them would have said the captain..
