Dean Smith has urged Christos Tzolis to forget about his price tag in a bid to rediscover the Greek international's confidence at Norwich City.

The 20-year-old winger was a noticeable omission from Smith's matchday squad at Anfield last weekend and featured for the club's U23 side in Monday's defeat to Aston Villa.

Despite Daniel Farke thrusting him into various Premier League settings during the opening 11 matches of the season, the Greek winger has found game time harder to come by since the change in the dug-out.

Tzolis arrived at Norwich as the club's second biggest outlay of a heavy spending summer window. The winger came to Carrow Road from PAOK for an initial fee of £8.8m.

Smith believes that figure has been weighing heavy on Tzolis' mind in recent weeks and has taken him out of the Premier League limelight in a bid to restore his confidence.

City's head coach has a large amount of sympathy for the winger, who only turned 20 last month, and has a plan to aid his development.

"We're working with him to help him improve," Smith said.

"His confidence has obviously been hit by not playing as much and not being involved. We're trying to get him the game time so that we can improve his productivity and his confidence.

"We're talking to him and he understands it. I feel for the lad, it's not his fault that we go and buy a player for a certain amount of money but they have to live with that tag.

"I just want him to get back to not worrying about that and just getting back to enjoying his football."

Since Smith arrived, Tzolis has started just two Premier League games without completing the entirety of the fixture.

Tzolis' talents were introduced to City supporters in epic fashion as he recorded a brace and two assists during their 6-0 demolition of AFC Bournemouth in the League Cup earlier in the season.

But a struggle to find a consistent place in Smith's Premier League side has followed. Despite his omission last weekend, City are willing to be patient on a player nicknamed 'Golden Boy' back in his native country.

"He's only a young player. He's come to a foreign country and he is finding his way," Smith said.

"That adaptation period has taken slightly longer but we're willing to wait and nurture him because we see a talented player."

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