Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has insisted that he is glad to have Virgil van Dijk to learn from rather than viewing the defender's presence as an obstacle to first-team football.

Van Dijk has become a fixture of Jurgen Klopp's side since his world-record £75m move to Liverpool in January, further increasing the competition in Gomez's favoured position of centre-back.

The 20-year-old has played the majority of his football as a full-back so far this season, but says that he is taking the opportunity to learn from Van Dijk ahead of his eventual expected move into the middle.

"I didn't see it as blocking my path or anything like that. It's a great opportunity to learn from him," Gomez is quoted as saying by Sky Sports News.

"I am not overly stressing about it or paranoid about other people coming in. It's great to be in environments where I can learn from players like that. I am just trying to soak it all up and be the best sponge I can be.

"I think he has a great presence, everyone sees that. He is very dominant in the way he plays and his body language shows that he has quality on the ball."

Gomez was forced to withdraw from England's international friendly with Italy due to an ankle injury suffered early in their 1-0 win over the Netherlands.