Premier League: Most Valuable XI, 2018/19 Season

Centre-Back: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Virgil van Dijk - the most expensive defender in the world

Signed for: £75m in 2018

Current Market Value: £45m

Signed as soon as the winter transfer window was open in January 2018, Liverpool paid a world-record fee of £75m to secure Virgil van Dijk from Southampton.

The Dutch defender was also a target for City who walked away when they were told about his price tag but Liverpool had no qualms about paying such a big fee for him after having made a £134m profit on the transfer of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona.

"I can’t do anything about the price – nobody can. It’s only the market." - Virgol van Dijk

He is right. Southampton took advantage of the sudden increase in cash in Liverpool's pocket and played hardball. He had been angling for a move away from the Saints since the summer and it took five months of waiting to finally materialise.

Van Dijk has since become the bedrock of Liverpool's defence and is a key reason behind their unbelievable defensive record at home.