Liverpool signing Ki-Jana Hoever shows direction Klopp is going

On Thursday, Liverpool signed one of the hottest prospects in Europe, Ajax’s young defender Ki-Jana Hoever, and it points to Klopp’s direction for this team.

"According to The Mirror, “As the Netherlands youth international had yet to sign a professional contract in his homeland, Liverpool only have to pay Ajax a nominal compensation fee. He has been training with Barry Lewtas’ under-18s squad at the Kirkby Academy but won’t be able to make his competitive debut for the Reds until he’s granted international clearance. The paperwork is expected to be done by the end of the month”."

This is very bright news for the Redmen, securing the rights Hoever for his developmental years. It was also noted that Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea were all in on the youngster. This shows further how Liverpool are becoming more and more a destination for supreme talent to grow and achieve monumental things.

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The deal also makes sense with the departure of Ragnar Klavan to Cagliari on Thursday. In the team sheet now, there is not much depth in the position of center back, with the likes of Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren both out to injury, it only leaves Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Nat Phillips to man the middle.

However, there will also be no rush to fast track the Dutch defender into the first team, he is only 16 years old respectfully. Given the right amount of training and guidance in the Liverpool academy, it is almost sure-fire, Hoever could be a success at Merseyside.

Drifting away from the deal itself, this signing is a huge hint as to how Klopp plans on building this Liverpool squad in the coming months and years. Thinning out the old, and bringing in the new. Klopp will not be phased by older players being sent off, like Klavan, for younger more potential-filled players who he can give chances to.

We have already seen this plenty of times with Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dom Solanke, and Ben Woodburn. Klopp loves to give the young academy lads chances in the first team, and plenty of them. So do not be surprised if there is an exodus of older players in the team such as Mignolet, Moreno, Clyne, or even Matip in the coming years.

This would be one of Klopp’s final stages of his rebuild to make the team sheet what he really desires. Youth development has been critical under Klopp with Harry Wilson, Ben Woodburn, Rhian Brewster, Rafa Camacho, and Curtis Jones all coming to the forefront of Klopp’s masterpiece. Expect these players not on loan to all get chances throughout this campaign as they will be used for depth and cup ties. Mark my words, there will be at least one more young player break through into the team this year. My prediction is Curtis Jones.

Nevertheless, it is noticeable what Klopp is trying to do, and whenever we can steal a great signing from the likes of Chelsea, United and City, all Liverpool fans are happy.