New Chelsea signing Mamadou Sarr has revealed that he looks up to Virgil van Dijk and hopes to emulate the Liverpool captain’s playing style.
The 19-year-old is an admirer of Van Dijk and has expressed his desire to follow in his footsteps.
He also mentioned that his style of play is often compared to that of Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté.
“I want to be like Virgil van Dijk,” said Sarr. “I love Van Dijk. But some people tell me I play like [Liverpool’s] Ibrahima Konaté. It’s very similar. He’s a leader. For a defender, it’s very important to be a leader. On and off the pitch, I talk a lot. It’s an important job.
“I think I anticipate well. With the ball, I can pick a good pass.
“When I was a kid, I had a dream — it was to be the best centre-back in the world.”
The 19-year-old joined the Blues earlier this month after Chelsea agreed a deal with Strasbourg in January to sign Sarr for €14 million.
The French Under-20 international has only played 40 senior games, 27 of which came during a breakthrough season at Strasbourg last year. He was an unused substitute in Monday’s 2–0 win over Los Angeles FC at the Club World Cup.
