Matip vows to keep improving
Joel Matip has told Liverpool fans that he will do everything in his power to keep improving as a player.
In an interview with the 'Liverpool Echo', the towering defender said that he feels he has plenty more to give this season.
"Last season was not the worst one but I think I can still improve a lot and I will improve a lot. I need time for this," he explained.
"I get help from everybody and I will use this to get better. You always need a little bit of time to adapt to a new league. You need some time to know your team-mates and understand them without saying something. I'm not 35 so I hope I still can improve."
Despite the intensity of the Premier League often being used as an excuse for poor performances from new signings, Matip said that it had not come as a surprise to him.
"The intensity was not really a surprise because I watched a lot of games before I came to the Premier League. It's a lot of fun to play every week against great teams, players and have these unbelievable team-mates who I can play with," he said.
"The Bundesliga is not as physical, but I played with Schalke in Europe so I knew this kind of play. It's a special art but not every player is very physical in this league, there are different types of strikers."
The 25-year-old also noted how Dejan Lovren helped him settle in at Anfield, saying: "From the first day Dejan came to me, there was a good relationship between us. We can talk in German and that also helps. It was really easy to get a good relationship with him."
"We have a different way of playing and I think this fits well together."
The Cameroon international explained that he was working hard to improve as a player and that his main aim for this coming season was to stay fit for longer.
"I'm working on my fitness but I have no problems, no pain. I'm on a good way. I hope that this time I stay fit a bit longer. I want to improve for myself, not for other people. I will improve, but I don't know what the club will do. That's not my area. I only focus on the things I can change," he concluded.
Matip could be vital for Liverpool this season, with the 'Reds' defence continuing to look shaky despite their wealth of attacking options.