If Kostas Tsimikas ever wants to know anything about Liverpool, he will no doubt turn to a close friend who happened to play for the club.
The Greek left-back’s circle of friends includes ex-Red Pedro Chirivella, who spent seven years on Merseyside before leaving early this summer.
The couple became friends when they were both on loan with Eredivisie Willem II for the 2017/18 season and bonded over coffee and meals outside of the first-team’s football life.
Of course, Chirivella was thrilled when news of Tsimikas’ transfer from Olympiacos was confirmed on Monday night.
“We hung out a lot after training and it’s a friend I’ll take for life,” the Spaniard told Liverpoolfc.com. “I am very happy.
“I texted him yesterday. First of all, I congratulated him and his family.
“I know he waited a long time for an opportunity like this and finally got it, so I’m very happy.”
This spell at Willem II – the former club of Virgil van Dijk and Sami Hyypia – turned out to be a key period in Tsimika’s career. There he massively increased his commitment to senior football.
He started in all but one of his 37 games that season, scoring six goals. That in turn caught the attention of Liverpool even then.
“I remember he grew up a lot. This year was crucial for him,” said Chirivella, now at FC Nantes in France. “We had similar seasons, we were both on loan from big clubs and performed very well. It was a very good move for Kostas.
“I know when I was there with Willem II, [people] came from Liverpool to see Willem II and they looked at him too because he was the team’s outstanding player.
“In the first week of training I could see that he could get to the top. Very, very talented. He really likes to move forward and also has a special mentality.
“He’s a real winner and he doesn’t care who the winger is facing him because he’ll be at his best. When you have that mentality, it’s easier to perform.”
“One of the hallmarks of his character is that he’s a winner, has a good mentality and is a fighter. The harder the game was, the better he played.”
Kostas Tsimikas: The first interview
Jürgen Klopp has welcomed the arrival of an “ambitious” and “very good” soccer playerwho gained title-winning and Champions League experience at Olympiacos.
He will bolster Klopp’s defensive ranks ahead of the 2020-21 season, with Chirivella confident the new No. 21 will suit the team’s style and line-up well.
“He has similar qualities to Robbo – he likes to move forward, but he defends very well one-on-one,” said Chirivella. “I think he will be a great signing for the club.
“He [Klopp] will be very important for Kostas, I think he will learn a lot. He’s still young and he still has a lot to improve [on]like everyone else, he is perfectly managed by the gaffer. “
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