Former Holland coach Louis van Gaal was unconvinced by Virgil van Dijk before he moved to Liverpool, it has been revealed.

The ex-Manchester United manager dismissed calls for van Dijk to be included in his squad during his time at Celtic, as he "didn't defend forward".

The Athletic reports Van Gaal's scouts also warned their boss that van Dijk had several other weaknesses.

His tendency to lose concentration when marking a forward was an issue, while he could often come across as complacent.

Since then van Dijk has become a key figure in the Dutch dressing room, as well as one of Europe's most accomplished defenders.

The 28-year-old is among the contenders for the 2019 Ballon D'Or award following his stellar year for club and country.