Jurgen Klopp has been left excited by what Ben Doak can bring to his Liverpool side going forward.
The German is readying his team for Europa League football next season after failing to reach the top four in England's Premier League. But there is optimism for the future amid a big summer transfer window but boss Klopp could look towards youngsters already at the club for a boost, amid key stars like Roberto Firmino leaving.
Doak has shone in the youth ranks and made his competitive debut in red this season after joining from Celtic in January 2022, with his manager naming as one player with big potential for a Liverpool future. When questioned on the positives he takes from the emergence of more young players this season, Klopp responded: "From the very young ones I think definitely Stefan [Bajcetic] is the standout player, that was exceptional. Played like a man, unfortunately in a kid’s body and then the intensity caught him if you want. But anyway the signs he gave us are super, super-promising.
"Ben Doak, obviously nice signs, he’s with us in training again. Special boy, really confident, has something nobody else delivers really, this kind of dribbling, this kind of straight-forward bravery, all these kind of things.
"Technically really good, high speed, super-promising but very young. I don’t want to miss anybody out.
"Then of course Harvey [Elliott] always played a lot of games for us, played for us a lot of games in a not-so-good period; still very, very young so couldn’t keep it up on the highest level but showed again super, super signs.
"It will only go in one direction, that’s forward definitely. And then Curtis [Jones], that we got him back was super-important, I think everybody saw that.
"It’s a long road to become your best version because you are young, big expectations, massive criticism from outside, all these kinds of things, and to find your way through that is not easy.
"And I’m really happy that Curtis could finally do that, super-important for us, obviously, our own boy making these big steps. That’s cool, we have a lot of other young players but I think these are the youngest if I’m right."
