In a wide-ranging interview with Gary Lineker, Liverpool boss Arne Slot says he was "surprised" by the quality of Virgil van Dijk's passing and discusses the Reds' season so far.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has hailed Reds captain Virgil van Dijk, although the 33-year-old's future remains up in the air with just six months left on his contract

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has admitted he has been taken aback by Virgil van Dijk’s exceptional ability, describing the club captain as being on "another level".

Arne Slot was in for a surprise during the summer as he took charge of Liverpool for the first time, with one player in particular leaving him stunned during his first session.

Virgil van Dijk is an amazing player for Liverpool but it seems that everyone doesn’t necessarily share that opinion, something Arne Slot has commented on. Speaking with BBC Sport, our head coach discussed thoughts on his captain: “Everybody here in England would tell you that Virgil van Dijk is the best defender in the world.

"Very proud. My family and my kids were here today so it was a special day,” Van Dijk admitted to reporters, including the ECHO, after his landmark appearance. “I might get a glass of red wine tonight just to celebrate, me and my wife. But that's it. The focus is then on the next game.

Virgil van Dijk has admitted that he still has ‘no idea’ how long he has left at Liverpool, as the future of three of the club’s superstars still hangs in the balance. It has been a stunning season so far for the Reds, sitting top of the Premier League and the Champions League group, with Arne Slot impressing in his first season in charge.