BRING ON THE LIVER LADS!
Klopp turns his back on big-money deals and puts his faith in Kop kids
JURGEN KLOPP will remain committed to offering youth a chance despite mind-blowing spending from Liverpool’s rivals.
In a month where Manchester City and Chelsea have spent £100million each on a single player, Lionel Messi has joined Paris Saint-Germain for the highest wages in football history and Manchester United have also splashed £115m on two players, the Reds have been prudent in the market.
Klopp accepts that will disappoint some fans, but he believes Liverpool can’t match the spending of clubs backed by billionaires and the wealth of nation states, so must find another way.
And one of those routes is to produce home-grown talent.
“We have to keep the spaces open for these exceptional talents and that’s what we try to do,” he explained. “It’s not always possible and that doesn’t mean it will happen next week, next month or next year.
“We need to show that we are a club who gives opportunity to these kind of talents.”
Trent AlexanderArnold is the most notable example to be pushed through by Klopp, but he has also developed the likes of Curtis Jones, Neco Williams, Rhys Williams, Ben Woodburn and lately, Harvey Elliott.
Elliott was signed from Fulham as a 16-year-old, and now at 18 is now recognised as a first-team squad member pushing for a regular starting place.
Klopp says he wants the England Youth star to be given plenty of firstteam chances this season.
“That’s the plan – that is why it was a really good pre-season for Harvey. Let’s see how we can use that,’’ added the German. “He showed up in an exceptional way, and he’s only 18 so it might be really exceptional.
“We don’t treat him like an 18-year-old boy, at least not in training sessions or on the pitch as his football is pretty mature in a lot of moments.
“That’s really exciting. Like all our midfielders he brings something different and a different dimension into the game.
“His dribbling is top, passing range really good, a lot of things.”
Woodburn too, had a good pre-season to have Klopp singing his praises, while the Williams are firmly established as serious first-team back-up.
And the next generation is already being called off the rank.
Exciting 16-year-old Kaide Gordon is regarded as a real hope, while Liverpool are also excited by Polish winger Mateusz Musialowski, 17, nicknamed the Polish Messi, who has been promoted to the Under-23s.