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Klopp tells fans to focus on quality not cost

Cape Town - Liverpool manger Jurgen Klopp has told Liverpool supporters to forget about the price of Virgil van Dijk.

The Reds agreed to sign the 26-year-old Southampton centre-back for the record fee for a defender of £75m.

The January signing is a massive statement of intent from the Merseysiders and Klopp wants fans to focus on the quality of the Dutch international.

Klopp told Sky Sports: "Quality. That's why we got him, that's why we were interested in him. It's quite difficult at the moment because technically he's still a Southampton player.

"We don't make the prices, the market does. Liverpool supporters should forget about the price.

"We only talk about the player and what he can bring in; the quality, the mentality, the character. That is why we are really happy about it."

Having overcome a long-term knee injury to make 12 appearances for a struggling Saints this season, the Liverpool manager has also called for patience for when he attempts to integrate Van Dijk into his side.

Klopp added: "Virgil hasn't had the best first half to the season at Southampton.

"He was out injured for a long time and we all know about the things that happened last summer.

"He's a tall player - they always need a little bit longer especially after being out for around nine months - but that's no problem. We already have quality here in that position so we don't have to rush anything.

"He needs to adapt to our style of play. It's a completely different game, but we are 100 per cent sure he will do it."

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