'So much potential': Virgil van Dijk raves about rumoured Manchester United target

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk has been singing the praises of reported Manchester United target Jurrien Timber.

Ajax centre-half Timber – an international teammate of Netherlands captain Van Dijk – was strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford to reunite with Erik ten Hag over the summer.

The 21-year-old ultimately stayed at Ajax – seemingly in order to ensure regular football in the run-up to the World Cup 2022 – but speculation surrounding his future persists.

According to transfer supremo Fabrizio Romano in his column for CaughtOffside, Timber is unlikely to leave Ajax until at least next summer – but Van Dijk already has exceedingly high hopes for his compatriot, who can also play at right-back.

Speaking ahead of the Netherlands' Nations League clash with rivals Belgium on Sunday night – their final game before the World Cup – Van Dijk said:

"I wasn't nearly as far along as [Timber] is now [when I was the same age].

"I have nothing but praise for him. He is a great player and a true professional.

"He has so much potential. Hopefully, he can develop further. Then it will be alright, I think."

Timber won his eighth Netherlands cap on Thursday night, starting alongside Van Dijk and Manchester City's Nathan Ake in a back three as the Oranje remained top of League A Group 4 of the Nations League with a 2-0 win away to Poland

Louis van Gaal's side kick off their World Cup campaign on 21 November, facing Senegal in the second match of the tournament in Group A – where they're also joined by Ecuador and hosts Qatar.