Saturday 30 March 2019 10:10, UK
Mauricio Pochettino says Liverpool have been proven right in their decision to spend a record-breaking £75m on Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool broke the world-record fee for a defender when they agreed a deal to sign the Dutchman from Southampton in January last year, with Van Dijk proving to be indispensable at the heart of Jurgen Klopp's side ever since.
Ahead of Tottenham's visit to Anfield on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League, Pochettino says Liverpool have shown any doubters that they were correct to spend such a big sum on the centre-half, with the Reds leading the Premier League table going into the final weeks of the season.
"When a team like Liverpool need to improve their team in a certain area, people said it was crazy to pay £70m for a centre-back," Pochettino said.
"But Liverpool were right. They picked Van Dijk, because at that moment they believed he was the best centre-back in England who could make them better, and they were right.
"Some people said: 'Why would you pay £70m for a centre-back?' But the people who believed other things have now been shown that Liverpool were right.
"If you are going to sign the player who is going to improve your team, then it is not a lot of money. Because when you consider what it means to win a Champions League or a Premier League, it is cheaper to spend this type of money."
