Arne Slot has a message for anyone panicking over the supposed “massacre” of Klopp’s kids: Chill out. Amid the outrage from fans who think Liverpool’s new management is undoing Klopp’s legacy by letting young talent walk out the door, Slot has shut down with a reality check.
Sure, the Liverpool academy products had their moments in the spotlight last season, even snagging the Carabao Cup. But in the whirlwind of summer transfer, things are looking different.
Bobby Clark’s £10 million switch to Red Bull Salzburg was just the start. Now, rumors are swirling that Stefan Bajcetic, Tyler Morton, Ben Doak, and others could be next – either on loan or permanently.
Let’s hear it from Arne Slot
Cue the fan meltdown. But Slot? He’s not bothered. According to him, it’s all part of a grand plan, not the doomsday scenario some are painting. Klopp’s kids aren’t being culled; they’re just finding new homes.
“That’s always a difficult one, because young players want to play as well and if they want to develop, they have to play.”
He explained on Friday.
“It’s always like this. They come through the ranks of the youth academy and either then you’re good enough to play for us many minutes or you’re still not there, or there’s too much competition in your position.
“I think still this team, with what we have, has a lot of homegrown players. One of them, Trey Nyoni, is also training with us on a daily basis at only 17.
“So this club will always bring good youngsters.
“It’s always a challenge to find the right moment, either to play them or if they’ve played quite a lot of minutes they want to make the next step in their career.
“And if that is not possible because Virgil van Dijk is playing there, or Mo Salah is playing there, or all the other top players are playing here, then it’s best for them and also for the club to let them go.
“Because you always want to take care of your own interest, but you also have a responsibility to the players.
“If they want to play somewhere and it’s not possible with us, and they’re not happy with 500 or 600 minutes – because these youngsters didn’t play many Premier League games, they played a few games in the cup – then you have to, in my opinion, let them develop somewhere else.”
And lastly….
Slot’s final point is the kicker. Sure, those youngsters had their moments last season, but let’s not pretend they were tearing up the Premier League. Most of their appearances were courtesy of senior players being sidelined.
Yes, you could argue that Liverpool might be leaving themselves a bit thin, but hold your horses – there’s still time before the transfer window slams shut.
A lot can change in a week, and Slot seems confident that the club’s got it all under control. So, before hitting the panic button, maybe wait and see what unfolds.
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