Liverpool new boy Kostas Tsimikas has sent a message of intent to Andy Robertson that he plans to play as much first team football as possible next season.
Tsimikas, who signed for the club this month, made his first appearance in a Reds shirt this Saturday as Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners in a friendly against Stuttgart.
The £12million signing was brought in as cover for first choice left-back Robertson.
But the Greek defender got a first taste playing with the big boys on Saturday, and now has plans to challenge Robertson for his place in the Liverpool starting XI.
"The sessions have been really hard," Tsimikas said. "But I have to try a lot to work hard and be ready. Every player made me a warm welcome.
"They helped me a lot to do my best on the pitch, to give everything. And all together we hope for the best. I want to start [the season], I'm looking forward to the new season. I hope we will do and achieve our goals."
He added: "The friendly games are difficult. First of all we have to be fit, that's why I tried to run a lot first of all; to show a good image and play hard.
"And the result is the most important [thing], even in the friendly games and the competitive games. It was a good performance, we did what we do all these days in training. What the coach wants, we did on the pitch. We won.
"We'll keep this and we want to be ready for the [Community Shield] final on the 29th."
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