"The game has evolved" - Virgil van Dijk picks out 2 Chelsea stars among the best defenders in the world

Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk has named Chelsea stars Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger as two of the world's best defenders at the moment.

According to the Dutchman, the Chelsea duo is among five of the best centre-backs in world football right now.

The Liverpool defender also believes the game and the role of the centre-back have evolved drastically over the years. He told Sky Sports (via Metro):

"There’s so many good defenders out there. The old guys Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva, Gerard Pique. The game has evolved and defending is different. If you look at Laporte and Rudiger. I think he had a fantastic season last year and the way he came back from a knee injury, I have even more respect for him now."

Virgil van Dijk is widely regarded as the best centre-back in the Premier League. The 30-year-old is finally back in action after a long-term injury that kept him on the sidelines for the majority of last season.

Meanwhile, Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva have played key roles in Chelsea's successes in recent years. They were instrumental in the Blues' Champions League victory last season and continue to show their importance to the first team in the current campaign.

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Antonio Rudiger and Chelsea are yet to agree on a new deal

Despite being one of Chelsea's most important players ever since Thomas Tuchel arrived, Antonio Rudiger is yet to agree on a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

The 28-year-old has entered the final year of his contract, with the Blues running out of time to offer him a new deal. According to The Athletic, the club's initial offer was deemed disappointing by the defender and his representatives.

Antonio Rudiger has attracted interest from a host of European giants, including Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. However, his preference is to stay at Chelsea for the foreseeable future, provided a decent offer comes in from the Blues.

If an agreement is not reached by January, Antonio Rudiger will be allowed to sign a pre-contract with any European club. This will likely see him leave Chelsea on a free transfer in the summer of 2022.

Last month, Antonio Rudiger told Sky Germany that he hadn't discussed terms with any other club apart from Chelsea. He said:

“For me, this will now be the most important decision of my professional career. I haven’t spoken to any other club than Chelsea”