Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has told the academy youngsters to follow the example of Ovie Ejaria in order to make it to the first team.

Ejaria, a member of the England Under-20 team, caught the attention of Klopp during the club's training camp in Tenerife about a year ago due to his ability and application with the ball.




The youngster was eventually allowed a first team debut by the German manager earlier in the season and has since gone on to play eight matches for the side, besides another six for the youth team.

Klopp, who is keeping a close eye on his club's young players as they take part in this year's weekly training camp on the same island, insists that all the youngsters there can look up to Ejaria as a role model as they aim to go on and break through to the first team.
 


“I told the boys before the session [on Tuesday] that last year, Ovie Ejaria came onto my plate, if you want", Klopp told his club's official website.  

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“I saw him here first. I knew him, I saw him playing a few times, but here having him around for four days and seeing him in small spaces in the sessions against the ‘adults’ if you want was very important for him and for me.

“It’s an opportunity.

"You can see in their eyes they know it; they are really ambitious when they think about the sessions and we will try to do everything we can to give them the opportunity to impress.

“There’s no doubt about the attitude, there’s no doubt about quality – it’s only a question of are they already ready or not? If not, then they still have time. If yes, then let’s make the next step.”