Klopp explains difference between Brewster and Curtis Jones after £23.5m Rhian Sale

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Jurgen Klopp has explained how Rhian Brewster’s desire and need for minutes this season was the primary motivator behind his transfer out of Liverpool yesterday.

The striker left for £23.5m, with the Reds insisting a buyback clause is inserted into the transfer that enables us to get him back in three years.

The manager has said that if Brewster was older, he’d happily keep him around – but that the young forward simply needs to play and needs to play now.

Klopp has intimated that while Jones is willing to fight for appearances and be patient, Brewster’s has run out – and after his loan spell at Swansea in which he tore up trees – we can understand why.

“Rhian couldn’t make it here, so far (into the first team),” Klopp said, reported in the Echo.

“That’s pretty much the information. But he has made big steps in his development.

“Rhian was seriously injured, so first and foremost we had to make sure he was ready for all the demands of professional football again and he is now 100%.

“He had a really good half season at Swansea and was really impressive, he came here for pre-season and scored for us – you could see that he made big steps.

“It’s about development – if Rhian was now 25 or 26 we would say stay and work for your chance – it’s a different situation when you are younger.

“A player like Rhian in this position, it’s important he makes the next steps and uses the time he lost during the serious injury.

“It’s possible a move to another club would make sense but I don’t know exactly what will happen there.

“If Rhian stays this year, he’s part of the squad as well just like Curtis [Jones] in the same way. It’s about earning game time and you earn during game time during training and the minutes you get.

“We have to find the solutions for different personal situations. We try to help the players do the right thing.

“Sometimes it’s a loan, sometimes it’s a club that wants to buy the player.

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