Liverpool reportedly rejected an offer for Trent Alexander-Arnold in January and that now looks one of Jurgen Klopp’s best decisions of the season.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reportedly made a very wise decision earlier this season that went largely unnoticed.
According to the Times, the Reds boss passed up on an opportunity to bring forward Naby Keita’s arrival from RB Leipzig that would have involved young defender Trent Alexander-Arnold moving to the Bundesliga side as part of the deal.
Philippe Coutinho’s departure to Barcelona certainly left room for an attacking midfielder of Keita’s quality in this squad, but Klopp deserves immense credit for showing patience over the move and not rashly giving up one of his best up-and-coming talents in the process.
Alexander-Arnold has since gone on to become a crucial part of the club’s recent success in the Champions League, putting in arguably man-of-the-match displays in both legs of their quarter-final victory against Manchester City.
City winger Leroy Sane may have been crowned PFA Young Player of the Year last night, but the 19-year-old had him in his pocket in both games and would surely have been a contender for that particular prize himself if he’d been a regular throughout the whole season.
For now, Liverpool will be delighted Klopp showed that faith in him and resisted the urge to let him go to land a big-name signing just a few months ahead of schedule.
It is this long-term thinking and measured approach to the management of the club that has made the German tactician such a success in his time so far at Anfield, and it could yet deliver the biggest trophy in club football by the end of this season.
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