Goal.com

Aug 1, 2012 10:39:00 AM

The new Reds signing wants trophies following his switch to Merseyside and told the club's fellow youngsters to keep their focus while impressing during pre-season

Liverpool striker Fabio Borini has vowed to play for the badge on the front of the shirt rather than the name on the back during his time at Anfield.

The Italian forward has taken the opportunity to link up again with manager Brendan Rodgers, whom he worked under while on loan at Swansea City from Chelsea two seasons ago.

Borini made his pre-season debut against Tottenham on Saturday and says that his first task is to prove himself as a team player to the club's supporters.

"It felt quite good to make my debut," he told the club's official website. "It's an important shirt and the first thing I need to worry about is the front of the shirt [the badge] rather than the back [the name].

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"That is the most important thing to show the people - and also to me because when you wear a shirt, what is on the front is more important than what's on the back.

"It's an historic club and has won so many trophies in the past, and it wants to win just as many in the future.

"This is a really good target to try and reach. Because Liverpool is a great club in England and all over the world, it gives you more power and strength to do more. It's a great achievement for me and I hope to show many qualities here."

The 21-year-old was pleased to have quickly settled in to life on Merseyside, naming a number of team-mates who had helped him find his feet.

"It is a really good group of honest people here and they're really nice guys," he enthused.

"I got inside the group very quickly and they've helped me [to settle]. If I need something, I'll ask no problem and they'll show me.

"Stevie G and [Jamie] Carragher are the key men and the key players of the club, Glen Johnson is always helping me, Joe Cole does too because I knew him before I came here.

"Dani Pacheco has maybe helped me the most because I stayed with him in the hotel and he has shown me around the city centre."

The former Chelsea man also had some words of advice for the prospects still doing their best to impress during pre-season, with a number of academy graduates having featured in the club's friendlies in North America.

"I think we've got good young players that want to show what they can do, and they've got the right attitude to reach the first team one day," Borini said.

"I've been in the same position as them and I've been in and out of first teams, so I always tell them not to look down and keep their heads up, even if they go back into the reserves because that's the way of the first team at a top club.

"It's not a small club, so it's more difficult to get into the first team and they've just got to keep their heads up and keep working because there are more good players here."

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