Liverpool defender suggests he’s open to move, shares what he’s been told

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Liverpool defender Nat Phillips has suggested that he is open to the idea of leaving Anfield again this summer and ‘establishing’ himself further in his career, as he told the club’s official website.

The 23-year-old was on-loan at German outfit Stuttgart last season and he did state that the experience of playing ‘under pressure’ was beneficial to him.

If anything, Phillips is now closer to Jurgen Klopp’s first-team picture than last summer because of that loan spell, but most importantly, because Dejan Lovren has since left the club.

Phillips shared that, from what he understands, those making the decisions will ‘look at me throughout pre-season’ and things will stem from there.

“From what I understand, the plan is that they’ll have a look at me throughout pre-season and we’ll go from there,” Phillips told Liverpool’s official website. “I think whichever direction my season ahead goes in, I’ll be in a good position.

“If they decide to keep me here after the departure of Dejan [Lovren], obviously I’m one spot closer to the first team, which is good, and I can compete for a place.

“Likewise, if I go out on loan then I’m able to go out and get more games and more first-team experience and start establishing myself in my career. I’m feeling quite happy and comfortable going into the season ahead.”

Jurgen Klopp has proven that he is willing to give the Anfield academy players a chance, and if Phillips can impress, then he may well find himself being part of the squad for next season.

Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip are available to Klopp, at this moment in time, and it’s quite clear that he perhaps needs another fresh pair of legs to add a bit more depth at centre-back.

There’s no doubt that pre-season will provide Phillips with a great chance to take that spot because it’s clearly up for grabs.

If the Reds decide to loan him out again then it will be interesting to see who, if anyone, they bring in and how much money they would be willing to put on the table for his services.

Unless Phillips struggles badly, Klopp may well be better off giving the academy player that fourth centre-back spot.