Celtic have been told by a rival top-flight boss their new signing is a clone of the Liverpool icon and former Hoops star
Steven Pressley has compared new Celtic recruit Benjamin Arthur with Liverpool hero Virgil van Dijk ahead of a potential reunion with the centre-back in the Scottish Cup on Saturday.
Arthur could make a quickfire debut for his new club against Dundee in tomorrow night’s fifth round tie and Dark Blues boss Pressley knows all about the 6ft 4’ starlet’s attributes.
Prior to his surprise appointment as Dundee manager last summer, Pressley served as Head of Individual Development at the English Premier League side, where he worked alongside Arthur, following his move from Peterborough United.
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He reckons Arthur possesses similar traits to former Hoops icon Van Dijk, admitting: “Benjy Arthur is a player I worked really closely with in my time at Brentford. I really like him and rate him as a player.
“I don’t want to put much pressure on him, but he does remind me of a young Virgil van Dijk. He is a huge unit but also very mobile. He is right-sided. Benjy is very calm and clean in his defending. He is very assured, quick, strong, and powerful. He has got so many good attributes that all the top modern-day defenders require.
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Pressley offered Celtic the inside track on Arthur before they signed him late on Deadline Day - a decision that was made by his ex-Hoops and Scotland team-mate Shaun Maloney.
“I spoke to Shaun about him the other day,” the former Coventry boss stated. “I told him how highly I rated him, and he is a player with huge potential. They, in my opinion, have made a good acquisition.
“Of course, it is his first loan. This will be a new experience for the player, but he is a player who has huge potential.
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Celtic swooped to bring in Arthur in order to allow Stephen Welsh to return to Motherwell on loan for the second half of the season.
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With mainstay Cameron Carter-Vickers expected to be out for the rest of the season, Pressley was aware that Arthur had several options to move elsewhere before deciding on Parkhead as his favoured destination.
He revealed: “There was a lot of interest in Benjy. I know there were several English Championship clubs who were keen on him, and also Celtic game in, so he had a lot of options. I am confident he can do well at Celtic, given the opportunity.
“Brentford thought this would be a terrific loan for him because one of the biggest challenges is, can you handle the pressures of playing for Celtic or Rangers.
“I think if you can handle that, then you will be able to handle most clubs. In terms of being able to grow and be tested, then this will be a good step for him.”
Snapped up by Brentford in a seven-figure deal three years ag, Pressley knows the Bees have high hopes for Arthur and view him as a exciting first-team prospect who has the ability to make a name for himself in the English top-flight.
Pressley: ‘Brentford rate him highly, they rate him massively’
A move to Celtic is seen as the next step in his development, with Pressley adding: “Brentford rate him highly, they rate him massively. He came into the B team where I worked closely with him.
“It was my job to transition players from thee to the first-team. Benjy was one of those players who they see on a pathway to the first-team. I worked very closely with him for a couple of years and I can’t wait to see him further his development and how he kicks on.
“I am pleased to see him come up here. He will be coming up to Celtic looking to make an impact.”
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