3 months ago
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Curtis Jones has said it’s important for Florian Wirtz to immediately settle at Liverpool and not feel weighed down by his record-breaking price tag.
Liverpool paid an initial $135 million (£100M) for the German last month, with a further $22M (£16M) in potential add-ons to be triggered. Should those additional fees be met, Wirtz will become the most expensive signing in Premier League history.
But that doesn’t appear to have affected the German international, who is used to operating on the biggest stages. The former Bundesliga champion has settled quickly into life at Anfield and has made an instant contribution to the team in pre-season. He was perhaps the standout player for Liverpool in Saturday’s 4-2 loss to AC Milan.
Speaking after that game, Jones said that a good start is important for Wirtz ahead of his first campaign in the Premier League.
“Yeah, obviously he's a new lad. There's a label on him that we’ve paid this price for him,” the midfielder told the Anfield Wrap.
“But it's about just bringing him in and letting him feel calm, at home, and just let him go and play his game and not think, 'I’ve been bought for this price.'
“Of course, he will know that he needs to help the team with goals and assists, but first of all, just come into the team and be yourself. We've seen that all week with him.
“As everybody already sees, you know, he can score goals, he can assist. He's an exciting player as well.
“But on top of all that as well, he’s an unbelievable lad. He's got a smile on his face, and he just enjoys the game.”
Wirtz is one of seven new arrivals this summer - and more are expected before the window closes in September. Jones feels it’s a welcoming group to join.
“He [Wirtz] has already found his feet, he’s comfortable here, and the same with all the other lads who have signed, they’ve come in and are just themselves.
“I bang on about this thing all the time, that it's an unbelievable team, but it's more like a family as well. If you're a young lad getting signed, you come in and have got a bunch of lads that are just all about having a laugh as well at the same time, so you just feel at home.
“Then obviously it helps the lads as well, so the lads who are coming into the team are going to be a huge help and hopefully we can go and win even more.”
Jones, like most in the Liverpool team, played 45 minutes in Hong Kong and was asked how his fitness levels are at this stage of the summer.
“I felt good, actually. Obviously, it was a mixed team as well. The young lads were in there, which obviously helps [them] for the experience of that.
“Unfortunately, we obviously lost the game, which was a shame. We've got to start at a place and that's where it is at the minute.”
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