Since Jurgen Klopp replaced Brendan Rodgers in the Liverpool managerial hot-seat, talk of a long-term project at Anfield has been doing the rounds.
The passionate German trainer has a burgeoning reputation given his exploits at Borussia Dortmund and showed during his time at the Westfalenstadion just how influential he can be. A large part of Klopp’s success in the Ruhr Valley was concocting a young squad and, on the whole, keeping it together for the time he was there.
The outspoken tactician helped countless players develop from raw talents to international superstars, and the hope remains that he can do the same with some of the promising starlets at Liverpool. The Anfield club have a venerable track record of bringing top stars through their youth academy and continue to unearth young players that are capable of producing in the Premier League.
The most high-profile examples in recent times have been the explosion of Raheem Sterling onto the scene, who has been followed by Jordon Ibe.
Liverpool lost Sterling to Manchester City for a number of reasons – the allure of Champions League football, a bumper pay-day and a perceived lack of ambition on Merseyside.
Ibe remains in the Anfield ranks and could yet replicate the feats of his elder statesman, with the gifted winger one of those that is expected to flourish in the longer term as Klopp’s footballing ideals sink in.
However, Liverpool look set to lose one of their brightest young players this summer for next to nothing. Jerome Sinclair became the historic club’s youngest-ever senior player when he made his debut back in 2012, having just turned 16.
Since then the buzz amongst the Reds fans has been about just when the versatile forward would be given his chance to follow in Sterling’s footsteps and prosper on the biggest stage. However, now 19, Sinclair has continued to excel in the youth ranks, but has not been given an opportunity to show what he is capable of in the Liverpool first-team.
With a contract that expires this summer and a clear indication not to extend terms from the player, the teenager is set to leave Anfield for a nominal fee believed to be no more than £2m – a far cry from the £49m the Reds received for Sterling.
Slightly reminiscent of the Paul Pogba situation at Manchester United, Sinclair has not been given a chance and could well go on to make his former employers rue their lack of faith.
With this season’s Premier League top four hopes all-but dead, Klopp would be advised to make a last-ditch attempt to change the attacker’s mind by blooding him into the team. Even this may well not be enough to keep Sinclair, who has been tipped to move to Watford and feature in the Premier League next season.
Although Klopp will look to abroad to bolster his contingent this summer, losing one of the club’s best home-grown stars will be a blow, who could come to regret their handling of Sinclair over the last 12 months in particular.
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