Jurgen Klopp once told Liverpool fans why they should trust James McConnell as first-team chance opens up
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The Scouser is set to join Inter Milan in a £30m deal after seven years in the first-team Photo Credit: Getty Images/Paul Ellis/AFP But while Nyoni will be the main beneficiary, James McConnell is also likely to feel a positive impact, with reports suggesting that the 21-year-old is no longer being hawked out for a loan move, and has even been actively blocked from leaving Liverpool this summer. While that is definitely a valid concern, fans would do well to remember just how highly Jurgen Klopp rated McConnell after promoting him from the academy in 2023.Klopp thought McConnell was a top talentMcConnell had the look of a potential first-team player ever since making his first steps in the senior team during the 2023/24 campaign.He played during Klopp’s final pre-season in the summer of 2023, leaving the German to rave about his performances.
As Liverpool continue to look for a defensive midfielder three years on, Klopp’s words in June 2023 are worth coming back to.READ MORE: Stefan Bajcetic and Curtis Jones’ exits should pave the way for a new Liverpool midfield signing“James in the six is just a joy to watch, the boy never played in that position before, we put him there and he throws his heart on the pitch,” he said.McConnell continued to progress throughout the season, with Klopp once again singling him out for praise in January 2024.“James would probably consider himself rather as a No.8, but he’s a smart footballer,” he said after McConnell started the FA Cup third round win over Norwich City.“He has the necessary aggression, the vision and all these kinds of things to play on the No.6, he did it really well today. And on top of that a good footballer, we not only saw that with the cross for Curtis but also a lot of other moments.”Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty ImagesMcConnell’s impact was such that he eventually played in the 2024 Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea, coming on in the 87th minute to feature for the full portion of extra time.Klopp beamed with pride following the final whistle, having seen McConnell, Bobby Clark and Jayden Danns help put Chelsea to the sword.
A loan move to Ajax last summer was supposed to give him the platform to kick on, but he played only seven times for the Dutch giants, before returning to Liverpool in January. Now it’s time for Liverpool supporters to remember why he deserves his chance.