'A joy' - Virgil van Dijk names the best player he has played with at Liverpool

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has named the 'best talent' he has ever played alongside - and it is one of his current Reds team-mates.

Van Dijk is currently gearing up to play in the World Cup with the Netherlands, with the 31-year-old the captain of his national side.

It will represent a great achievement for the Dutch defender, who missed out on Euro 2020 due to his ongoing recovery from a serious knee injury.

Van Dijk will marshal a team including the likes of Frenkie de Jong, Memphis Depay and Denzel Dumfries.

Ex-Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal will manage the squad, with Netherlands having not lost a match since he returned to the role last year.

Prior to the tournament getting underway - the Dutch squad face Senegal in their Group A opener on Monday - Van DIjk previewed the World Cup alongside Reds team-mates Joe Gomez and Andy Robertson on the Pitch Side Podcast, featuring YouTubers Reev and Theo Baker.

Van Dijk on best Liverpool talent

One of the questions the Dutch centre-back was asked was who he believes is the best player he has ever played alongside.

He replied: "I would say, at Liverpool, Roberto Firmino. But also knowing how difficult it is to play against him as a defender.

"He drops deep, and all that stuff. I can say him.

"But Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Thiago now. Wow. It's been a joy to play with these guys.

"I would say for the national team, Frenkie de Jong is really good."

Van Dijk has played alongside Firmino at Liverpool ever since he joined the club from Southampton in January 2018.

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During his time at the Saints, he also lined up against the Brazilian, who has been at the Reds since 2015, on a number of occasions.

Firmino is out of contract at Liverpool in the summer, but reports claim that the club are expected to offer him a new contract to stay at Anfield beyond the end of the season.

Any new deal, therefore, would likely take him to or beyond 10 years at the club, during which time he has established himself as one of Liverpool's modern-day greats.