OPINION
Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward is reportedly set to be given a chance to impress Jurgen Klopp in pre-season but he must turn it down for the sake of his career.
With the Reds’ goalkeeper hunt starting to look unreasonably expensive The Telegraph claimed that Ward would be afforded a chance to push for a first-team place next season.
While the 24-year-old has no doubt waited patiently for an opportunity of this nature to come knocking on his door, he must take a bold risk and reject the idea of staying at Anfield for the next campaign.
Ward, who has been a Reds player since 2012, has rarely been seen in the club’s colours making only three appearances for the side.
The shot-stopper has instead spent several temporary spells away from the club, including a very successful time on loan at Huddersfield Town in the Championship, and is no doubt eager to be seen as the number one choice at Anfield.
While the eccentric German manager is set to open the door on Ward featuring, it’s better if he asks to be available for loan and looks to join a Premier League club who will regularly play him.
Ward has only ever featured twice in England’s top-flight, conceding four goals in the process, and after making only a handful of appearances in his 2017/18 campaign he will be a little rusty.
This will see him not able to dethrone Loris Karius, who according to the Telegraph’s original report, is more likely to be welcomed back into the fold by Klopp following his Champions League blunders than most people think.
Due to this it seems likely that even if Ward impresses just enough in pre-season it could just seem him move from the outskirts of the squad to the bench of the first-team and that will continue to see his career stagnate.
Given the fact his Anfield contract doesn’t expire until 2021, there’s still room for him to go out on loan and prove he is a Premier League worthy goalkeeper before returning to make a serious claim to be the Reds’ number once choice.
While it maybe a selfish decision to some as it’s not putting the Reds first, it will be a choice that Klopp will respect and allow to happen especially if there’s a positive twist in the club’s goalkeeper hunt.
Therefore Ward should boldly risk his Reds career in order to go out on loan to a Premier League side, there are enough hunting for keepers, in order to return a better more-ready player.
