Ragnar Klavan’s expected transfer from Liverpool to Cagliari has been sanctioned due to Jurgen Klopp’s desire to bring through youngster Nat Phillips, according to journalist David Maddock.
The Daily Mirror’s northern football correspondent tweeted on his personal twitter account that the Reds boss had sanctioned the move because he wants to see youngsters, particularly 21-year-old Phillips, develop into first team players.
Klopp sanctioned move for Klavan to Cagliari, despite injuries to Lovren and Matip, because of strong desire to offer route into squad for young players. Nat Phillips has big potential and #LFC boss keen to encourage and develop him.
— David Maddock (@MaddockMirror) August 17, 2018
It appears as though Klopp saw the 32-year-old Klavan as an obstacle for young defenders looking to break into the Liverpool first team squad.
Maddock states that the German is keen to develop Phillips and help him unlock his huge potential, with the young talent impressing greatly in pre season this summer.
OPINION
Klopp had to be confident about the young defenders he had at the club for him to sanction Klavan’s sale while both Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren are injured. Joe Gomez partnered Virgil van Dijk admirably in the Reds’ 4-0 destruction of West Ham United in their opening Premier League game on Sunday, but there isn’t a lot behind the pair in terms of depth at this moment in time. It’s a risk, then, for Klopp to sanction the Estonian international’s departure, but it tells you a lot about how highly the manager rates his current crop of youngsters, particularly Phillips, that he is willing to do so. The 21-year-old will look at the development of defenders Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold and see that youth is no barrier to the first team, so he’ll be looking to grasp his chance with both hands when it comes. He impressed mightily in pre season, and it looks like he’s done enough to convince Klopp that he’s ready for a spot in the first team squad.
