Liverpool central defender and captain Van Dijk recently accepted an exclusive interview with Sky Sports and responded to outside discussions about Wirtz and other new players.
The team has welcomed many new players this season, and there has been a lot of discussion about transfer fees, especially for Wirtz. As a captain, how do you deal with a new signing like him?
Van Dijk:
It is important for new players to feel welcome, calm and settled, and to have their homes and families settled in. This way they can stand out. But no matter what your career is, when you arrive in a new place, it takes time to adjust and get to know your colleagues and their preferences. The Premier League and Liverpool are very demanding, that's normal. We live in a world where it’s hard to give people much time to adjust and adapt. But as long as we focus on improving at Liverpool, some will be fine.
Coach Slott once said that Wirtz was unlucky and sent many wonderful passes that should have been converted into goals. Have you ever seen this happen in training? Is he the type of player that leaves no doubt?
Van Dijk:
I think it is not good for the outside world to focus all their attention on Wirtz. He, Isaac, Ekitic, Kolquez and others all have the quality they deserve - there is no doubt about this. What matters is unity, continuous improvement, and success. Every day of training and competition is an opportunity to get closer to our goals.