Liverpool starlet Ki Jana Hoever has put pen to paper on a long-term contract with the Anfield club after breaking into the first team last season.
The young Dutchman is set to start tonight for the Reds at right back as they take on Lyon at the Stade de Genève.
Speaking to the club’s official site, the teenager couldn’t contain his excitement at signing the new deal. “I’m really happy to have signed here,” he said.
“I need to be realistic. I will just train hard with the first team, show them what I can do and if there is a chance, I will be ready.
“I still need to learn a lot of things. I am still 17, so I just need to keep doing what I am doing to get better at the things that can be better.
“It’s a lot of trust from the club to let me sign this new contract. I will try to do them proud and show what I can do for this club – and I hope these are not the last few years I play here.”
A versatile defender, Hoever is capable of playing as a centre back, and as an auxiliary full back when required, like team-mate Joe Gomez.
The 17-year-old joined Liverpool from Ajax at the end of last year and it didn’t take long before he made his first senior appearance for the club – coming on as a substitute when the Reds travelled to Wolverhampton Wanderers in last season’s FA Cup.
In doing so, he became the club’s third-youngest ever debutant at the age of just 16 years and 354 days. Hoever is a regular in the U23s’ squad and featured for the Netherlands U17 squad.