Jurgen Klopp makes Kaide Gordon transfer decision and drops Liverpool selection hint

Jurgen Klopp has hinted at a first run-out for Kaide Gordon in nearly two years for the Liverpool senior side as Harvey Elliott is given a challenge by his manager

Jurgen Klopp has hinted at a first senior appearance in 23 months for Kaide Gordon when Liverpool are hosted by Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League.

And the Reds manager has ruled out the possibility of a loan move for the exciting 19-year-old winger when the January transfer window opens.

Gordon made four appearances across the 2021/22 campaign, which included becoming the club's youngest ever scorer in the FA Cup at 17 years and 96 days when he equalised in a 4-1 victory over Shrewsbury at Anfield nearly two years ago. He then started a Carabao Cup semi-final at Arsenal later that month, which was his most recent run-out for the first team.

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Despite his early promise, the teenager has suffered a torrid time with injuries over the last couple of years and has been sidelined for the majority of it with what has been described as a "complex pelvic issue".

Gordon returned to fitness earlier this season, being named on the substitutes bench twice, and with the Reds already through to the last 16 of the Europa League, Klopp has indicated that the former Derby County youngster may be in line for run-out as he opened up on the issues he has had to overcome during his absence from the first-team picture.

"So we've been really unlucky with some of our big, big prospects," Klopp said. "We've had that they were a little bit too good already for the physical status, let me say it like this. They were that good that we thought they could help us already and everything was going in the right direction.

"And then the body says: 'No, stop'. That happened to Kaide, actually, two or three times and it was a really long time out but it's now really cool that the first day back in training we all realised: 'Ah, that is what we have missed! That is what we had already'.

"So nothing has happened already, he is still a fantastic player and still incredibly young and he is now, again, around the first team. We try to give him as much game-time as possible with the U21s and I, you know that, I am a believer in us needing a strong U21s. They all need to be on loan at the same time everywhere, there are different ways to develop talents.

"And especially after long injuries, you should not immediately think that now he is fit we can send them out. We have a really good group of young boys there and tomorrow we will see a few of them, that is clear."

Klopp, who has left Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold all at home ahead of Sunday's visit from Manchester United, also challenged Harvey Elliott to build on an encouraging campaign so far this term.

Elliott's season has been notable by a handful of impressive cameos off the bench, including Saturday's 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace, where he struck a stoppage-time winner, and Klopp believes there is much more to come from the 20-year-old.

He added: "There is no headache for me with Harvey. What we forget sometimes is that Harvey is still super young but has played an incredible amount of games already. And top games, we can go back before his serious injury (in 2021), he was the best player we had available.

"The best performances, definitely and then he got badly injured. It took him a while to get back up to speed again but what he showed in the last game and in other moments and for England Under-21s is all what Harvey Elliott can be.

"With his skill-set he should be super influential and he will be in the future anyway. The ability to connect, the overview, the technique, the dynamic – he has it. Did he always bring it on the pitch when we played? No, but that is normal, I wouldn't blame anyone for that, not least him, everyone is like that.

"But a player like him needs the finishes as well, the shot and the last pass. The last game was a sign of how good this boy can be. And of course we want to use that."