It is his second year as Liverpool’s manager and Jurgen Klopp has already made some firm decisions about the club’s future players. The Reds have loaned out five players, including Danny Ward, Ryan Fulton, Adam Bogdan, Jack Dunn and Ryan Kent, while Allan Rodrigues is set to move out shortly with a loan deal to Hertha Berlin.
19-year old left winger Sheyi Ojo was given the opportunity at the end of the previous season and he made a good impression in the knick of the time. The Reds called him back from his loan at Wolverhampton during the January transfer window; he had to make use of the little opportunity he was provided and didn’t disappoint. A player with a good pace and power, he proved a big hit with the Kops with eight appearances in the Premier League and three in the FA Cup. He made four assists and scored one goal against Exeter City which Liverpool won by 3-0. He has already impressed in his first pre-season appearance against AC Milan last Saturday; coming on as a substitute and he helped Roberto Firmino score the second goal.
However, his short-term career with the senior team has come to a halt as Klopp increased the competition for his place in the wings, with the arrivals of Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum from Southampton and Newcastle United respectively. But Ojo claimed that he was ready to fight for his name in the first team sheet and cancelled his extended vacation after the U19 European Championship joining the senior team in the pre-season matches.
“The manager asked me if I wanted some time off after the Euros but I said I wanted to come straight here,” Ojo said. “I was keen to be out here. I wanted to be part of this. I’m not too fussed about a holiday.
“It’s been busy. After the end of last season I was working hard in the lead up to the Euros with the England training camp. It all paid off. The Euros were a great experience and I’m feeling fit now.
“Being out here is definitely best for my development. It’s been a good experience to be back with the team. Now I just want to kick on.”
Following the 2-0 victory over AC Milan and Ojo’s wonderful performance in that game, Klopp has stated him as a “wonderful” winger who has a long-term future at Liverpool. But also has mentioned that he is yet to make a decision on whether he should be loaned out to smaller clubs in this current transfer window and comeback next summer as a more positive player. The Reds also have players like Philipe Coutinho, Firmino and Lallana in the attacking flank, after they recently sold their academy student Jordon Ibe to AFC Bournemouth.
Ojo has previously spent time on loan in the Championship with Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers and could join another club on a temporary deal. According to some sources Ojo is being linked up to the recently relegated side Newcastle United, as reports claim that Rafa Benitez is quite keen to sign this teenage sensation. Also, another Championship side Brentford is eager to include him in the squad.
Now if Sheyi Ojo leaves on a season long loan, Klopp can hope that, this skillful and young talented winger is a guaranteed regular first-team player in the very near future along with Kent, Ward and Dunn. A loan deal is quite an intelligent option here as he now has to compete with the likes of experienced Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana and Phillipe Coutinho for a starting role and might not be in the first team regularly. All of his development depends on regular football which the clubs interested in him are willing to offer. And as Klopp has said, Ojo is certainly a big future player for the Merseyside.
“I don’t know. We will have to see,” Klopp told Sky Sports.
“Sheyi is a wonderful player that’s for sure and his future is 100 per cent at Liverpool. We don’t have to make decisions so early.
“We have time and we have to use the time. We have had some injuries. We need to make the boys as fit as possible.
“Ojo has only been with us for five days after coming from the tournament with England Under-19s.”
Liverpool are without European football in the upcoming season which means less matches and less injuries, a loan deal for Ojo looks wise.
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