Celtic star boasts ‘certain similarities’ to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk amid lofty career prediction
A Hoops centre-back has been compared to having similar attributes to the current Liverpool captain by one pundit
Pat Nevin knew Virgil van Dijk was destined for Premier League stardom at an early stage in his Celtic career with the Dutch defender using the Scottish giants as a springboard to bigger and better things.
Now the former Scotland, Chelsea and Everton star reckons he sees “certain similarities” between the current Liverpool skipper and Hoops centre-back Liam Scales who continues to progress and make himself one of the club’s most reliable defensive options.
While it was hardly ideal to concede seven goals against Borussia Dortmund as Celtic did in the Champions League earlier this week, it was Scales who really stood up in the absence of mainstay Cameron Carter-Vickers with the 26-year-old bailing out his new partner Auston Trusty on several occasions.
Nevin has been particularly impressed by Scales’ improvement in recent years. He told jackpotjoy: “A player to watch out for in this Celtic team is Liam Scales. Sometimes you get a couple of players come through in Scotland that you don't see coming and they’re brilliant, and that’s exactly what this lad is, he has been amazing so far this season.
“I remember several years back, shouting about this centre back we had in Scotland, and everyone kept ignoring me. Next thing you know, Virgil Van Dijk was one of the best centre-backs in the world, if not the best.
“I'm not saying Scales is quite as good as Van Dijk but watch out for him there are certain similarities and I think he will go to the very top, he is a top centre back and players like that will get them some success in the Champions League.”
The Republic of Ireland international at one point looked as though he was heading for the Parkhead exit door, with a permanent move to Aberdeen on the cards following his successful loan spell at Pittodrie during the 2022/23 season. But having played as many minutes as anyone in last season’s double-winning Hoops team, Scales recently signed a contract extension through until 2028.
Manager Brendan Rodgers stated earlier this summer: “Liam has been a real stalwart this season. He’s played a lot of games, a lot of minutes. I think he and Matt O’Riley have played the most football for us. When lots of the players were breaking down earlier in the season Liam was there for us the whole time. Last summer it was probably in doubt where he was going to play.”