Liverpool defender says new team-mate needs to concentrate on integrating in the team as best he can and avoid thinking about the transfer fee his new club paid to sign him.
The 22-year-old joined the Reds in June for a fee beginning at £64m which could rise to around £85m based on various bonus clauses, and his form was highly scrutinised and often criticised by fans of both Liverpool and rival clubs including .
But on Saturday the Uruguay international delivered for his new side, winning a penalty and scoring the final goal with a clever stopping header to held the Reds beat City to win the Community Shield in a 3-1 win at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium. City’s new striker Erling Haaland, meanwhile, missed a string of clear-cut chances including a late shot which hit the bar with the goal wide open.
Van Dijk became the most expensive defender in history when he was signed from Southampton in 2017, and says that his experience means he know that Nunez must avoid worrying about his own price tag now with the season set to start.
‘For him it’s the same as me,’ said Van Dijk. ‘The transfer fee is not something you should think about. He just has to keep his head down, work hard and be an important player.
‘He just has to focus on himself and the team. He has to improve, get settled in as quickly as possible and the way to do that is to learn in training. He shouldn’t look at what others have to say about his performances. That’s the key to success. If you perform then you’ll be fine. Don’t get distracted.’
Nunez does not speak English, which Van Dijk says has caused some communication difficulties, but the Netherlands captain has been impressed by the striker’s improvement in training.
‘I don’t speak Spanish, so I don’t speak with him yet! That’s quite difficult at the moment but we have plenty of experienced players who speak to him at any chance that’s possible. He learns a lot in training and sees how we want to play, how we defend and attack.
Liverpool begin their Premier League campaign with a trip to newly promoted Fulham on Saturday 6 August for a 12:30 kick-off.
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