Jurgen Klopp has revealed Darwin Nunez is still struggling to learn English but insisted he has full faith in his talents after a difficult debut season in England.
Nunez moved to Liverpool from Benfica for £85m last summer after a fine season which included two goals against the club in the Champions League quarter-final.
The Uruguayan forward has scored just nine Premier League goals despite his hefty price tag, with Nunez starting three of their past four games on the bench.
However, Klopp insisted the 23-year-old - who has shown signs of his undoubted talent at times - is still adapting to the club and country and backed him to be a key player going forward.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Reds' game with Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday, Klopp said: 'Darwin is a player with a different skill set to others, that's good.
'He's still adapting, his English is still not great if existing at all which is not helpful so we go through a difficult debut season for the whole team which means then for a striker, how can a striker shine if team is struggling? But we're working on it (his English).
'This is a long-term project and he desperately wants to play. I understand Darwin is not always fine when he doesn't start, smiling in my face, but it's absolutely fine.
'We have five, six players up front, I have to make decisions. The door is miles open for all the boys. He was exceptional (vs Leeds). Everyone who came on was on fire.'
Nunez has featured as a central striker and also on the left wing at times during what Klopp also labelled a 'strange, very average season', and when pressed on what position he is likely to play in going forward, Klopp felt he has a big future across the front line.
He added: 'He's a centre forward but we need a specific set-up to play and defend from the centre but we have to understand as a team [to defend from the centre].
'We've had to adapt to different defending (this season) and with striker up front, that's how it is.
'It's about fine tuning and that is what we're doing. After this season there is another and that is already on my mind now. Maybe we can learn some things to use now, that's how I see it. He can play both.
'I am completely fine (but) he has to learn English. We can't have four different languages in training sessions it's football language so that'll (when he learns the language) help him massively. '
The Reds entertain Steve Cooper's struggling side looking to close the gap to the top four after their thumping 6-1 victory away at Leeds on Monday.
They currently lie nine points off Newcastle in fourth place with eight games to go, although they do face relegation-threatened sides Forest, Leicester, Southampton and West Ham during the run-in.