Strap yourselves in Tottenham fans because you’re about to have your mind blow. Why? Because Davinson Sanchez is better than Virgil van Dijk.
That’s at least according to Turkish coach Servet Çetin, who believes the former Tottenham man is a superior player to the Dutchman at this moment in time.
Çetin has been speaking to Ajansspor about Galatasaray, which led to praise of Sanchez and a lofty comparison indeed.
Sanchez has been playing for the Turkish since last summer, when he left Tottenham in a €9.3m deal following a miserable six years at the club.
The Colombian had arrived with a growing reputation and a big price tag of €42m from Ajax in August 2017 after an impressive year with the Dutch side following a move from Colombia.
He was never able to replicate what he showed in the Netherlands at Tottenham, though, with 207 appearances failing to bring out a player good enough to justify his big transfer fee.
Çetin is one of those who has seemingly been won over, now going as far as to suggest he’s better than the Liverpool star, a man most would have among the best defenders of all time.
“Sanchez is a better centre-back than Dijk,” he said.
“In England, centre-backs play locally, they do not disturb their positions. They don’t get into the ranks of the right-back or left-back. They always take a position in the centre. They usually play heavy. Because they are physically good, they intercept the ball in the centre.
“But they falter when they have to open up. Van Dijk had a very difficult time against Barış Alper Yılmaz in the Turkey – Netherlands national match.
“Sanchez, on the other hand, has a one-on-one game. He has pace, plays in a wider area and doesn’t miss men. He does a much more difficult job. He gets off the ball very well. Sanchez is a much better stopper than van Dijk.
“Maybe people will say come off it, but it doesn’t matter if it’s Liverpool. For example, Sami Hyypia came to Turkey and was not liked. So, Sanchez is better than van Dijk and many other centre-backs in the Premier League.”
