Liverpool will monitor young centre back Nathaniel Phillips’s progress extremely close in the upcoming season, according to the Liverpool Echo.
The newspaper claims that the 22-year-old, who has never made a senior appearance for the Reds, will be one of the centre halves watched most closely by Jurgen Klopp and co.
The other centre back whose name is mentioned is summer signing Sepp van den Berg, who was obviously brought in to eventually compete for a first team spot.
However, exciting centre half Ki-Jana Hoever, perhaps the name Liverpool fans expected to see in Phillips’s place, is thought to still be some away from first team contention.
OPINION
Centre back is one of the positions where this magnificent Liverpool squad is most well stocked. They have the world’s best defender in Virgil van Dijk, one of the most exciting young centre backs around in Joe Gomez, and experienced internationals Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren. They are very well set up at the heart of the defence. However, it’s good to know that they still have young players knocking on the door at the position. Klopp has admitted that he won’t be spending big this summer and, indeed, Van Den Berg is the team’s only signing to date in this transfer window. He is obviously expected to compete for a first team spot eventually, but it’s encouraging to see a home-grown player’s name listed alongside the Dutchman’s in the list of centre halves to watch next season. Phillips is getting to the age where he needs to start producing, so it’s fantastic news for him that Klopp is likely going to be keeping an eye on him next time out.
