Give us an insight into what you learned at Parma last year in Serie A. How did that help your development?
The continuous [game time] in the second half of the season, I continued to play and to play games. To have more confidence in myself.
I imagine at such a young age it would have been easier to stay in Italy, so why was it the right decision now for you to come to Liverpool?
Only because it’s one of the best clubs in the world. It’s not possible to say no to this club.
Was the prospect of challenging yourself in the Premier League a big pull for you to come here?
I want to improve a lot with my new teammates in training and after on the pitch, in the Premier League and the Champions League.
How would you describe yourself as a player?
An intelligent player, smart, and a technical player.
When you were a bit younger you idolised Virgil van Dijk, our club captain. How excited are you to play and train alongside him?
A lot. For me, he is the best defender in the world and I want to meet him [as soon as] possible. His personality is fantastic when he plays, he is so comfortable with the ball and without the ball. He is a leader.
The Premier League begins this weekend. I guess over the next few weeks for you it will be about getting up to speed and settled in to the new environment…
Yeah, I’ll watch the game [against AFC Bournemouth] in the stadium, see the game and then after the game it’s a new journey.
How excited are you to visit Anfield and feel the atmosphere?
I watched Anfield only on TV. I want to watch the [Bournemouth] game in this fantastic stadium.
