Jurgen Klopp will now be looking back at his decision on one up-and-coming Liverpool player with a sense of immense satisfaction.
With Andy Robertson set for an extended period of absence due to surgery on a shoulder injury, Kostas Tsimikas has stepped up to become the Reds’ first-choice left-back, with a couple of youngsters vying to be the Greek Scouser’s immediate backup.
One of those is Luke Chambers, who – as revealed in an article for The Athletic – had several clubs interested in signing him on loan for the 2023/24 season, having had a successful temporary spell at Kilmarnock last season.
However, Klopp and Liverpool insisted that the 19-year-old wasn’t available to be loaned out, as they wanted to get a closer look at him within a first-team environment.
The Reds will now feel vindicated over their decision not to loan out Chambers, considering the severe body blow which has befallen Robertson.
Tsimikas’ sudden elevation to first-choice left-back has prompted the need for a reliable backup, given the hectic fixture schedule that Liverpool will be navigating over the final few weeks of 2023 and into the New Year.
Tomorrow night’s match against Toulouse is the first of six games in an 18-day period, so squad rotation will be crucial ahead of the November international break.
Klopp will want to give the Greece defender a rest at some point between now and then, with two Europa League games and a Carabao Cup visit to struggling Bournemouth potentially offering a window for Chambers to make his first senior start for the Reds.
Despite his youth, the 19-year-old showed several standout qualities during his loan spell at Kilmarnock, being praised for ‘his maturity in the dressing room’ and ‘refusing to be bullied by older wingers’ while also displaying a knack for ‘using his pace’ to offer the team an attacking outlet on the left flank (The Athletic).
The time may be imminent for the prodigious teenager to be given a chance for Liverpool’s first team – hopefully he can make the most of it if it’s granted to him.
#Ep94 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones🎙️