"This season, I think he will reach his best level" - William Gallas says 'magnificent' Liverpool superstar is the 'man to beat' in the Premier League 

Former Chelsea defender William Gallas has said that Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk will be at his peak in the upcoming Premier League season. Gallas said the 31-year-old Dutch international would be the 'man to beat' in the English league this season.

The Liverpool defender returned from injury ahead of last season and was not up to his absolute best. However, things are all set to turn around, according to the former French defender.

The Dutch defender played a key role in Liverpool's FA Cup and EFL Cup title-winning campaigns last season while the club finished second in the Premier League.

In an exclusive conversation with Anfield Watch, William Gallas shared his views on several issues ahead of the new season. Quizzed about who he thinks will be the player to watch out for in the Premier League, the former French international named 'magnificent' Van Dijk as his pick. He said:

''Virgil van Dijk. Even though last season, I don’t think he was at his absolute best when he came back from injury, but what he showed for a player that was injured for such a long time, he was magnificent. This season, I think he will reach his best level, so for me, Van Dijk is the man to beat in the Premier League.''

Van Dijk has played 182 matches for Liverpool since joining the side in 2018 for a reported fee of £75 million from Southampton. Since then, the Dutch international has played a key role in the club's success.

Van Dijk suffered a serious ACL injury in October 2021 and was ruled out for the remainder of the EPL season following surgery. He also missed the 2020 European Football Championship for his national side due to his rehabilitation sessions.

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Liverpool squad returns to training ahead of the season opener against Fulham on Saturday

Liverpool players have returned to training ahead of the season opener against Fulham on Saturday as some key players remain absent due to injury issues. Calvin Ramsay, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Diogo Jota, and Naby Keita were amongst the absentees.

A report published in This Is Anfield has claimed that new fitness issues have emerged with three more players, including Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas, and Curtis Jones.

These three players could also be absent from Jurgen Klopp's squad for the weekend clash against Fulham. The report also mentioned that Van Dijk and skipper Andy Robertson missed the first training session.