Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is proud to be mentioned as a potential Ballon d'Or winner.

Van Dijk was named PFA Player of the Year last season.

He said, "It's an honour if people are talking about it, but what can I do? I have no influence on anything. The people that have an influence on it, they have to decide who's going to win it. I can't deny that I've had a pretty good season last year, so the only thing I can do now is just focus on the new season, getting fit, stay fit and hopefully get an even better season than I had last year.

"I can understand the fact that normally strikers or No.10s win these kind of awards because it's more attractive to see. But maybe the time has come to change it."