Jurgen Klopp calls up gifted teenager – Liverpool’s U18s & U23s lose key man

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Jurgen Klopp has rewarded Ki-Jana Hoever with an extended opportunity to train with Liverpool’s senior team following his bright first impression.

The Dutchman has excelled since arriving at the club in September, not only starring for Barry Lewtas’ U18s but also earning multiple call-ups to Neil Critchley’s U23s.

Hoever was spotted as a surprise inclusion in first team training last week as Liverpool were hit with a string of key defensive injuries.

The 16-year-old, who has shone at both right-back and centre-back, has since been invited back to work alongside the Premier League leaders at Melwood.

Such has been Klopp’s desire to have him involved that Hoever was unable to feature in Monday’s U23s clash with Swansea or Tuesday’s FA Youth Cup win over Portsmouth, reports the Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce.

 

 

Ki-Jana Hoever (seen in background) – image by Liverpoolfc.com

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Liverpool fought off strong competition from Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City to sign the highly-rated teenager in September.

The club also flexed the lure of its youth system by convincing Hoever to turn down a stay at Ajax in favour of continuing his development at the Kirkby Academy.

His physicality both aerially and in the tackle has combined with the composure to his distribution in fuelling excitement over his first team potential at Anfield.

He boasts a self assurance beyond his years and has already drawn early comparisons to the currently-injured Joe Gomez, who has flourished at centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk so far this campaign.

Reds can get used to seeing Hoever’s face among the rest of the senior squad.

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