Virgil van Dijk has backed "fantastic" Fabio Carvalho to be a success at Liverpool - as he revealed his part in helping persuade Joe Gomez to sign a new contract.
Carvalho has been an impressive performer in his three cameo appearances thus far this pre-season having arrived from Fulham at the start of the month.
As one of the members of Liverpool's leadership group, Van Dijk has been helping both the teenager and fellow summer signing Darwin Nunez settle, with the Reds currently on a week-long training camp in Austria.
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And while explaining the obvious challenges for £64million man Nunez, the Dutchman is convinced Carvalho can make an instant impact when the Premier League season begins in less than a fortnight.
"You try to do the same things you experienced yourself when you joined the club," said Van Dijk on welcoming new signings. "Everyone was very open and honest and warm to you and try to help you in however way.
"It's not the easiest for Darwin, for example, because his English is still to be seen. But he wants to learn and get better and we are going to see a lot of good things from him.
"Fabio, I am very impressed with him. He is a fantastic player. I think he is going to do very well for us. Hopefully he will keep improving and keep learning and stay grounded and humble and good things will happen to him."
Van Dijk will again be one of four frontline centre-backs from which Jurgen Klopp will choose alongside Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip.
Gomez ended speculation over a rumoured summer departure by penning a new five-year contract earlier this month, with Van Dijk revealing he had discussions with his team-mate ahead of the decision.
“We spoke about it before he signed the deal and I’m just very happy that he’s staying at the club, staying with me," said the Dutchman. "Also I’m happy for the club that he’s signed.
“He is, in my opinion, (one of) if not the best English centre-back around. Obviously we’ve both been very unlucky with the injuries we had. Obviously his time will come again and hopefully this season he can show that.”
Van Dijk is heading towards the new campaign free of injury, a contrast to last summer when he was still returning from serious knee damage and spent several months building up to full fitness and match sharpness.
But when asked if he will not be scrutinised as much this season, Van Dijk told liverpoolfc.com: "I will still be under the microscope and that’s fine. That’s something I’ve created myself.
“But it’s definitely a different feeling in this pre-season. Last year, coming back from the injury, so you’re trying to ease your way back in. This year, you try to get as fit as possible as quickly as possible.
“The pre-season is quite short; we have a big game obviously next week coming up (against Manchester City in the Community Shield on Saturday). But I know myself, I know my body and I know what I have to do in order to be ready for the season – that’s what I’m trying to do each and every day.”
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