Ledley King says Eric Dier has been the best English centre-back this year

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Ledley King has told the Evening Standard that Eric Dier has been the best English centre-back over the last year following the Tottenham Hotspur star’s recall to the Three Lions squad.

Dier was rewarded for his brilliant form for Spurs, particularly under Antonio Conte, by being included in Gareth Southgate’s most recent squad for the Nations League games against Italy and Germany.

Of course, the 28-year-old had previously been a stalwart for England. However, a loss of form for Tottenham saw Dier not making a single appearance for his country in 2021.

Eric Dier has been the best English centre-back

The arrival of Conte appeared to be a game-changer for Dier. The Italian wasted little time in suggesting that he saw someone with the potential to be one of the world’s best in his position at the heart of a back three (Football London).

At the time, that claim seemed wild. However, Dier has most definitely got his career back on track since. And King believes that he absolutely deserved the chance to play for England again.

“As an English centre-back, he has already been around it and for me, he has virtually been the best English centre-back over the last 12 months, so I am delighted he got recalled in the England squad,” he told the Evening Standard.

Tottenham star surely heading for Qatar

Dier has been one of the main success stories of Conte’s era. As King goes on to note, the early stages as a centre-back were difficult because of how he had moved around in the past.

Perhaps Conte just instilling that belief in him made the key difference. You do not need to work hard to find a number of players who have been transformed under the 53-year-old.

Dier has surely secured his spot on the plane to Qatar. England are not blessed with a large group of impressive centre-backs. Certainly, many have been left baffled by Southgate’s unwavering faith in Harry Maguire.

King is surely right to suggest that few have been better than the Spurs star. Someone such as Fikayo Tomori has every right to claim that he deserves a lot more credit from most. He helped AC Milan win Serie A last season.

But Dier is most definitely up there. And you would imagine that he has booked his ticket to the World Cup.