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Cape Town - Former Tottenham captain Ledley King believes Eric Dier has the ability to be a world class central defender for club and country.
Mauricio Pochettino shocked many pundits at the start of the campaign by fielding the 22-year-old as a holding midfielder, but Dier has excelled in the role, helping the Lillywhites forge a title challenge against Leicester City and Arsenal.
King, who also spent his early years at Spurs as a midfielder, feels the former Sporting Lisbon player could well make a similar transition as he did during his own playing days.
"I don't want to be disrespectful but I still think he'll be a centre-back and that's nothing to do with his performances in midfield, because he can clearly play there," the 35-year-old King told ESPN.
"If he was to move back to centre-back, he would be even better there, especially given his experience in midfield."
The former England international believes that playing in midfield allows you to adapt as a ball-playing centre-back as you're forced to think quicker in less space, and if Dier were to drop into a deeper role, his game could well go to a 'higher level'.
"You see the game a lot more clearly. That's what I was able to do after playing in midfield. Centre-half felt like a doddle and that can be true for Eric as well," King added.
