Jason McAteer has heaped praise on Liverpool’s Academy set-up and singled out one Reds youngster who he’s been ‘really impressed’ by during his time in Asia.
The boyhood Kopite was watching Jurgen Klopp’s side train in Singapore recently and was blown away by the ability of 18-year-old left-back Luke Chambers.
The Preston-born talent signed a professional contract with the Anfield outfit last year and appears to be going from strength to strength under the watchful eye of Klopp and co at the AXA Training Centre.
“I don’t know what’s happening, we seem to be producing these really composed young kids on the ball,” the ex-Red told LFC TV (via HITC).
“They always have time and space, they understand where they are on the pitch, their first touch is great and their decision making is great as well.
“He has a great delivery, I was really impressed by his decision-making when he didn’t have the ball, when to push in, where to go, he looked really composed on the ball as well.
“Just watching him there doing free-kicks in training, he was putting some fantastic balls in, flat, quick, I was really really impressed with him, a great left-foot and he’s also got a good right foot as well.”
We have certainly produced some quality players in recent times.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is the most notable, of course, with him becoming one of the best players in the world in his respective position.
Neco Williams, another Academy graduate, was sold to Nottingham Forest recently for an impressive £17m whilst Tyler Morton and Conor Bradley were just two of a number of teenagers to be handed first team minutes by Klopp last term.
In terms of Chambers, it does certainly sound like we have a lad full of talent in the ranks.
He’ll benefit from the trip to Asia and the chance to train alongside the first team squad – he has the perfect role model to look up to and learn from in the shape of Andy Robertson.
The Scotland captain is viewed as the best left-back in the world by many and he’ll be keen to offer a helping hand to his fellow full-back, as too will Greek international Kostas Tsimikas.
The Greek Scouser heaped praise on our No. 88 earlier this week and claimed the teen is ‘very focussed’.
Hopefully all of the young lads will return from the pre-season trip feeling the benefits and it’ll be interesting to see whether any of them break through into the first team during the upcoming campaign.
Chambers started Tuesday’s defeat to Manchester United and will be licking his lips at the prospect of more game time against Crystal Palace later today.