Jurgen Klopp Insists Liverpool Youngsters Will Get Opportunity to Impress on Pre-Season Tour

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Liverpool Under-18's ​duo Bobby Duncan and Paul Glatzel are set to join the senior side's pre-season tour, and insisted that they will be given an opportunity in friendly matches.

Both players were prominent figures in the highly successful Under-18’s team which saw them win the FA Youth Cup, beating Manchester City on penalties.

Paramount to the youth side's success was the striking duo of Duncan and Glatzel who managed 60 goals between them last season. These two will get the chance to stake a claim for first-team inclusion over the coming weeks.

With Mohammed Salah and ​Roberto Firmino only just beginning their breaks after a lengthy season, and ​Sadio Mane still in the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, it leaves ​Liverpool without their senior forwards for their pre-season tour.

Speaking to Liverpool's ​official website, Klopp insisted that the youngsters will get their chance to shine. 

"A lot of them will be part of the US tour, we have to use that because of the number of games we play," said the Liverpool boss. "We need all of them and that’s nice.

"Only as an example, Bobby Duncan and Paul Glatzel: our offensive line that played last year is coming pretty late in joining us in the pre-season, so we have to be creative system-wise and all that stuff, but there will be moments when they have to play.

“Not only at Tranmere or whatever, but in America as well when we play ​Borussia Dortmund and all the other guys. So, it’s good and it’s always like this: when you are already in the club, then the door is always open for you to the first team."

Liverpool begin their pre-season tour at Tranmere Rovers on Thursday before heading to Bradford City on Sunday. They then begin the US leg of their tour where they will face tough European competition in Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Sporting Lisbon.

As this Liverpool squad looks to blend youth into it for the future, Klopp insisted that it will be up for the youngsters to prove themselves.

“The thing is you have to go through by yourself - we only open the door, we don’t push you through," he added, "So, I’m open, I’m very open for exciting football players and if the boys show up, good for them and good for us.”

“I would say it’s quite difficult to immediately be part of that first-team squad because we are really strong, but it’s always like it is.

"These boys are our future if they want to be our future. That’s how it is because for that they need to take all the steps.

“They are at a wonderful club with wonderful coaches. Whoever leads the training, whether it’s me or Pep (Lijnders) or Critch (Neil Critchley) or whoever, it will always be a good session. But this pre-season is for them exciting of course."


Source : 90min