Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has said the "connection" he shares with manager Jurgen Klopp has been crucial to his development as a player.

The Dutchman moved to the Reds in January 2018 and has since progressed into one of the best footballers on the planet. Van Dijk was sensational last season as Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League, and he has performed well again in the current campaign, with the team establishing an eight-point lead at the summit of the Premier League.

Naturally, Van Dijk has been the recipient of plenty of praise, and he's said Klopp has been important in keeping him grounded, per Chris Burton of Goal:

"I have a very similar connection with Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool as I had earlier with Ronald Koeman at Southampton. Like Koeman, Klopp knows exactly how to get the best out of me—by being critical.

"When the media are hyping me and being very positive, he will downplay the praise and all that—often with a wink. And when I was voted UEFA Player of the Year and had to go to the ceremony, Jurgen told all the lads that I was picking up the trophy on behalf of the entire team.

"All the boys in the squad know I can take that sort of stuff very well. I know what he means. At the same time, the boss gives me a lot of respect and responsibility."

Sachin Nakrani of the Guardian said in October that Van Dijk is the best signing Klopp has made in his time in charge of Liverpool:

Van Dijk was rated as one of the top defenders in the Premier League before he moved to Liverpool, but he's made major strides since he arrived at Anfield.

At 28, he is in the peak years of his career, and he's now an established leader at the base of the Liverpool team. The centre-back undertakes all of his defensive duties with remarkable assurance, while his physicality and speed make him a difficult player to get the better of.

Klopp's ability to motivate and improve players with his coaching has aided Van Dijk, too. Football writer Daniel Storey summed up how much the team have improved from a defensive perspective:

It's clear Van Dijk has benefitted from the influence of Klopp, as have a number of other Liverpool stars. 

In recent years, a lot of footballers have arrived at Anfield with plenty of ability, albeit unfulfilled potential. The German coach has been crucial in helping some of those players move their game up to another level.

Van Dijk will now be seeking to maintain his place as the best defender in the game for a few more years yet, and all the signs are that under Klopp, a lot more silverware will be on the way to Anfield.