Former Belgium defender Eric van Meir has claimed that Celtic centre-back Dedryck Boyata can become Vincent Kompany’s natural successor within the Red Devils’ set-up in the future.
The Bhoys defender was at the heart of a heated transfer saga in the summer when Fulham launched a bid to try and lure him to the Premier League this season.
However, Celtic rejected the bid and a move elsewhere, with interest from several sides, failed to materialise, despite the player trying to force his way out of the club by making himself unavailable for the Champions League qualifier against AEK Athens.
Boyata, who is currently in the final year of his contract at Parkhead, has looked the part since Brendan Rodgers restored him to the Celtic line-up, barring a sending off against St Johnstone in the Scottish League Cup.
The Belgian is now in line to make an appearance against Netherlands on Tuesday night, and van Meir, who was part of three World Cup squads with the Red Devils, thinks that Boyata could become Kompany’s natural successor in the future.
"Dedryck Boyata can become the most important man in the defence of the Red Devils in the future”, Van Meir was quoted as saying by the Herald.
“He has already proved that at the World Cup when he successfully dealt with the injuries of Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen and played really well.”
Boyata played all three of Belgium’s group stage games during the World Cup in Russia in the summer as the Red Devils topped Group G ahead of England on goal difference.
