Jurgen Klopp believes that Nathaniel Phillips can play a ‘big role’ for Liverpool next season, Sunday World suggests.
Phillips has rapidly grown in importance at Liverpool this season, following multiple injuries.
The central defender almost left Anfield last summer and surely wouldn’t have expected any game time heading into the campaign.
However, after a spate of problems, Phillips has become a mainstay in Liverpool’s defence.
Phillips seems to have locked down a position in Liverpool’s starting line-up, at least until the end of the season, and is currently playing the role of the experienced central defender, with youngster Rhys Williams alongside him.
There are still some doubts over whether Phillips will be at Liverpool next season, though.
The 23-year-old now has a taste of regular football, but that could be harder to come by next term.
Liverpool defenders Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip will all return next campaign, and Liverpool are expected to sign a centre-back this summer.
That all means that Phillips’ task of breaking into Klopp’s side could be a lot more difficult.
But it seems that the towering defender is set for more game time next season on Merseyside.
Klopp has apparently been convinced by his performance this term.
That looks like well earned reward for the Liverpool man, who is becoming more and more popular at Anfield.
He has coped brilliantly, despite the difficult circumstances he came into the team under.
And it will be interesting to see how he copes if he is introduced into a more familiar looking Liverpool back-line next term.
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