Liverpool had no qualms about making Virgil van Dijk the most expensive defender in history last January.

The £75 million fee that the Reds paid to Southampton raised eyebrows at the time but Liverpool knew what they were doing.

Liverpool’s backline has been susceptible for years. In 2013-14, they conceded 50 goals in the league, which was three fewer than the team who finished in 16th place.

So Jurgen Klopp, in his attempts to turn Liverpool into a perennial winner, decided to splash the cash.

And he’ll be really glad that he did.

Van Dijk has been brilliant for Liverpool, becoming an instant leader in the squad and improving the performances of those around him.

That includes Joe Gomez, who has established himself as Van Dijk’s centre-back partner.

Deeney heaps praise on Gomez

The 21-year-old has had to ignore rather ambitious comparisons to Bobby Moore but one player who isn’t afraid of hyping him up is Troy Deeney.

The Watford striker raved about Gomez when he spoke to BBC Radio 5 live, insisting that the defender can be England’s starting centre-back “for the next 15 years”.

“I've said for a very long time that I've got a massive respect for Joe Gomez,” Deeney said.

“He could be England's centre-half for the next 15 years.

“He is a beast of a player. And going next to someone like Van Dijk, he is only going to get better.”

That’s quite the statement.

Deeney faced Gomez last season when Watford were on the receiving end of a 5-0 drubbing at Anfield.

But Gomez played at right-back on the day.

He’s now been shifted to centre-back and the results have been very impressive.

From an England standpoint, there’s a genuine belief that Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold, 19, will form one half of the Three Lions’ defence for the next decade.

Gareth Southgate is just searching for the other centre-back that he can call his own Van Dijk.