Stan Collymore believes Manchester City should pay ‘whatever it takes’ to sign Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk

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Ex-Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has told The Mirror that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola should pay whatever it takes to land Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutchman has arguably been the standout defender in world football this season.

He has helped Liverpool to remain on course for a league and Champions League double, with several stunning displays.

The 27-year-old arrived at the Reds in January 2018 and he quickly became one of the club’s most important players.

With Jurgen Klopp paying a world record fee of £75 million – according to BBC Sport – for the defender, any sale won’t come cheap for potential suitors.

Collymore scored 28 goals in 64 games for Liverpool and he believes City should be readying a move.

He told The Mirror: “If I was Guardiola the first person I would be targeting is Virgil van Dijk.

“I’d offer John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi plus £150 million for the Dutchman and I wouldn’t stop until Liverpool accepted my offer.

The comments are certainly interesting from Collymore and Liverpool supporters won’t thank him for his input.

Van Dijk would be irreplaceable for boss Klopp and it seems unthinkable that the Reds would consider a sale.

The man who also played for Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and won England caps thinks he’d be superb for City though.

The best in the world

Collymore continued: “It’s easy to throw around statements such as ‘best in the world’, but I really believe he is.

“The guy is the real deal and if City wants to become the dominant force they want to be then signing him would be a no-brainer.”

£150 million is unlikely to tempt Liverpool into a sale, whilst the prospect of receiving Stones and Otamendi in such a deal would be vastly underwhelming.

Neither player is of the same quality as van Dijk, with Stones, in particular, spending a lot of this season on the treatment table.

If Liverpool are serious about ensuring this season isn’t a flash in the pan, then they must do whatever it takes to keep hold of van Dijk.