Frank Lampard Believes Chelsea Starlet Is on the Same Level as £75m Rated Virgil van Dijk

Frank Lampard believes Andreas Christensen would have been good enough to keep Virgil van Dijk out of the team, had Chelsea signed the defender.

Christensen got his first big chance when loaned out to Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach for a two year period; during which the youngster played 82 competitive games for the Bundesliga club.

With the Foals, the 21-year-old became a familiar figure in the line-up, missing only six league games, while also gaining invaluable experience in the Champions League.

Now back in London, Christensen has become a key set-up in Antonio Conte's team, which, like Gladbach, encompasses a back-three formation - featuring in twenty Premier League games.

Frank Lampard is so convinced by the Dane, he believes Virgil van Dijk would have been kept out of the picture (as quoted by the Express).

"Even if van Dijk had come in, the player Christensen is, he'd have handled anything. You put a team around those players even at his age. He wouldn't have had a problem whoever they signed."

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Van Dijk shattered the record for most expensive defender when moving to Liverpool in January.

The Dutchman scored the winner in the Merseyside Derby and has looked a calming presence in an otherwise nervous Liverpool defence.

Lampard claims Christensen's potential was apparent at a young age when still playing for Chelsea.

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"I trained with him a fair bit when I was still there [Chelsea]. We were all very aware of his abilities.

"He came over to join in senior sessions when he was sixteen and was very impressive.

"But, even at that young age, you could see he had a composure and an awareness about him that made him fit straight in."