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Price comes with pressure, Van Dijk warns United's new recruit Maguire
VIRGIL VAN DIJK has warned Harry Maguire that his move to Manchester United means pressure after becoming the world’s most expensive defender.
Maguire swapped Leicester City for Premier League giants United in a world-record deal reportedly worth £80 million following months of speculation.
The England international, who signed a six-year contract with the option of a further season at Old Trafford, and his transfer to United is believed to have surpassed the £75m Liverpool paid Southampton for Van Dijk in January 2018.
Van Dijk, who led Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2018-19, knows the pressure associated with huge price tags and he had advice for Maguire.
“Good luck to him,” he said. “I can’t say anything about that because there was always going to be a time when it was going to change.
“Just focus on doing what you love to do and play your best game,” Van Dijk said when asked how he coped with the pressure of a hefty price tag. “Get your qualities out of the pitch, enjoy your game and don’t think about the other things.
“It is not easy to completely shut off all the pressure. Personally, I like to put things in perspective. Quite a lot of things are more important than playing football and what we do, we are blessed.
“We can do what we love to do and also to play for Liverpool – they are such a big club. You need to enjoy it but the pressure will always be there.”
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England Football Harry Maguire Leicester City Liverpool Manchester United Money Money Money Premier League Transfer News Virgil van Dijk