The Liverpool star is no longer the world’s most expensive defender.
The Dutch international broke a transfer record when he arrived at Anfield last January, signed for a reported £75m.
However, Maguire’s switch means he will now be the most expensive defender in world football after Man United shelled out £80m to Leicester City.
It’s a fee that will come with pressures and van Dijk is obviously well placed to comment on that, offering advice to his Man United rival about how to deal with it all.
As quoted by The Guardian, the Reds stopper said: “The price comes with pressure but it doesn’t change too much because you always have pressure at big clubs like Man United. But I wish him well.
“Just focus on doing what you love to do and play your best game. 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.”
The comments are as calm and composed as you’d expect from the UEFA Champions League winner, whose move to Liverpool has taken his game and profile to new heights.
Will it work out like that for the new Man United man?
Van Dijk was plugged into a Liverpool team already on the rise, he felt like the final piece of Jurgen Klopp’s puzzle, albeit a massive piece.
Maguire meanwhile is part of an overall rebuild under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The task ahead is different and perhaps more difficult. The England international has to prove he is capable at the elite club level.
He certainly has the platform though. If Man United are defensively reborn this season he’ll get all the credit.
The former Leicester man is an accomplished and committed Premier League defender who has attributes that can be a benefit at Old Trafford.
He should heed the advice of his Liverpool rival, concentrate on his own game and forget about the bigger picture.
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