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Joao Carvalho insists he is ‘not scared’ by the 15m euro price tag on his head – but is determined to live up to expectation, following his record breaking move to Nottingham Forest from Benfica.

The Reds smashed their record transfer fee to land the attack minded midfielder, 21, who had previously been monitored by Premier League big guns Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United.

Carvalho is used to living with pressure, having come through the ranks at one of the biggest clubs in Portugal – and having made his Champions League bow with Benfica last season.

(Image: Patricia de Melo Moreira/AFP/Getty Images)

And he says he has no concerns about the price tag on his head – and is merely determined to ensure he gets the opportunity to play in the top flight of English football, with the Reds.

“For me, the fee only means more responsibility. But I am not scared,” he said. “I know that it is important that a club in this division has paid such a big amount for a transfer. But my only responsibility is to live up to this expectation.

“I came here not to play in the second division, but to play well and to help the club get into the top division; to get to the level that I really want to play at and at the level that this club wants to play at. That is the Premier League.

“The focus has to be game by game; on winning each game. At the end, the answer to the question will be a positive one.”

The physical, demanding surrounds of the Championship will be very different to what Carvalho and fellow new addition Diogo Gonclaves – who has joined on a season long loan with a view to a permanent move - will be used to, in Portuguese football.

But Carvalho believes he will be ready to go in his new surroundings, by the time the new season kicks-off.

“I know that the league is different; I know that there are differences between Portuguese and English football and we will need time to adapt, for sure,” he said.

“But I know English football and in particular Premier League football. I know less about the Championship, but I am confident that I will have the time to adapt during pre-season.

“When the first game comes around, I hope I will be ready to help Forest; to make the contribution that the team expect from me.”

Carvalho says it was an easy choice to make the move to England.

“The decision was not a hard one, because our agents and Nottingham Forest’s people, we could quickly see that it was an exciting project,” he said.

“I came here because I am confident that this is a good opportunity to improve and to show the football I am capable of playing.”