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Former England defender Jamie Carragher has given his opinion about the comparisons between Liverpool man Virgil Van Dijk and Manchester City's summer signing Ruben Dias.
Ruben Dias signed for Manchester City last summer from Benfica and has gone on to solidify a previously unstable defence. The Cityzens have spent a lot of money on defenders in recent years. While each player has contributed to the team's successes, Ruben Dias has been the most effective of the group.
The Portuguese has been a regular in the team's starting XI since his arrival at the club and has provided numerous masterclass performances in defence.
Carragher, who was a central defender during his playing days, has now weighed in on the comparisons between van Dijk and Dias. The former Liverpool man lauded van Dijk's performances and achievements at Merseyside. However, he hailed Dias as a significant figure of "the new breed."
“We have seen Van Dijk over the last couple of years win the Champions League. I think the new breed is coming and this guy [Dias] is a massive part of it. I think he’s the best by a long way in the Premier League," Carragher told CBS Sports.
“In the other semi-final, you’ve got two of the greatest centre-backs of their generation, hopefully, playing in Thiago Silva and Sergio Ramos. But they’re coming towards the end," noted Carragher.
Ruben Dias has justified his hefty price tag
Carragher went on to hail Ruben Dias's outstanding performances at Manchester City despite the 23-year-old having a smaller frame than his Liverpool counterpart.
“I think in his first season, he has produced at Man City, I think he’s at that level. What I would say is that van Dijk has been blessed with physical attributes that Dias hasn’t. So, in some ways, I’m more impressed with Ruben Dias," said Carragher.
“When you watch van Dijk, it’s like watching a Rolls-Royce, you just think about the way he moves. Most players don’t have that and Ruben Dias probably hasn’t got that, so probably has to concentrate more," explained Carragher.
Like Virgil van Dijk's €85 million move to Liverpool in 2018, Manchester City also had to pay a large sum of money to secure Ruben Dias's signature. The Manchester outfit had to farm out a whooping €68 million while also sending Nicolas Otamendi the other way to land Dias.
Their investment, however, has yielded rewards, with the Portuguese averaging just one goal concession every two games. Manchester City have already secured the Carabao Cup and are in the first Champions League final in the club's history. They are also just one win away from a third league title in four years.
