#PLStories- Ralph Hasenhuttl reveals Mohammed Salisu goal to emulate Virgil van Dijk #SAINTSFC

RALPH Hasenhuttl responded to Mohammed Salisu’s target of becoming like former Saints Virgil van Dijk saying: “He still has a way to go, but there’s no reason why he couldn’t learn it.” The Dutch former Saints centre-back has gone on to become one of the world’s most respected defenders since he signed from Celtic and moved on to Liverpool. He has won the Premier League and Champions League with current club and Saints' upcoming opponents Liverpool, as well as captaining the Netherlands’ national team. What makes van Dijk so feared is his stature, speed and rigidity paired with proficiency on the ball like that of a ball-playing midfielder. Hasenhuttl says the latter is the area in which Salisu needs to improve if he wishes to emulate the Dutchman’s skill-set. He said: “It shows you how much he (Salisu) had to learn that it took so long until he was an option for the starting XI. “Especially with the ball, he can develop massively. He did it so far. “When you speak about van Dijk with his long balls and calmness on the ball, he still has a way to go. “But there’s no reason why he couldn’t learn it. Hasenhuttl continued: “A good thing is that in the centre-back position the older you get, the better you get because of the more experience you get. “This is definitely a player that showed this season that he deserved to play from the beginning and I’m very happy with his progress.”