Van Dijk

Quick, composed and physically dominant - Virgil van Dijk is the defender who has it all. But from washing dishes while he tried to secure his first professional contract to facing rejection and serious illness, it didn't always seem as if Virgil was going to make it to the top. This is the inspiring story of how a boy from Breda used his determination and self-belief to become one of the greatest defenders in the world.

This fictionalised biography is one of the new titles in Ransom's Tales from the Pitch series. Each book focuses on one up-and-coming football superstar, often players who are still to reach the summit of their career. The players are from all walks of life and have faced failure, injury and rejection, making these moving and inspirational stories.

The books are brimming with football banter that will have the knowing fans smiling. And each players story is littered with football tricks and tips, so readers can learn the arts of the glorious game. Tales of the Pitch are easy to read and very fast-paced reads.

At only 120 pages long, printed on cream paper with a dyslexia-friendly font, these are ideal books for reluctant and dyslexic readers.