Chelsea defender Mamadou Sarr has called Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk his role model and has outlined his ambition ‘to be the best centre-back in the world’.
Sarr has returned to Chelsea after head coach Liam Rosenior cut short his loan spell at Strasbourg.
The 20-year-old had impressed under Rosenior’s management at the French side and formed part of the Senegal team that won the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.
He made his first appearance of the season as Chelsea won 4-0 at Hull City in the FA Cup on Friday night. The defender looked at home in the Blues’ backline, as Chelsea recorded a clean sheet in the fourth-round tie.
Discussing his return to Chelsea and future goals, Sarr opened up on the players he is aiming to emulate. He named Van Dijk as a role model, but believes his game has comparisons with Van Dijk’s Liverpool teammate, Ibrahima Konate.
“I want to be like Virgil van Dijk. I love Van Dijk. They called me that when I was younger,” he said to ESPN.
“But some people also tell me I play like Ibrahima Konate. It’s very similar. He’s a leader. For a defender, it’s very important to be a leader. Off and on the pitch, I talk a lot. It’s an important job. I think I anticipate well.
“With the ball, I can pick a good pass. When I was a kid, I had a dream. It was to be the best centre-back in the world.”
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