11 months ago
138 Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has dropped a hint about Kaide Gordon potentially playing for the Reds in their final Europa League group match.
The Liverpool manager, speaking to the Anfield media team, said Gordon is a “fantastic” player who has been very unlucky with injuries.
Klopp also said it’s “clear” that “some” of the Liverpool academy stars will get game time at the Joseph Marien Stadium.
Gordon has been sensational for Liverpool since joining their ranks from Derby in 2021. He has already made four senior appearances for the Reds.
However, the teenager has endured some serious injury struggles, with a pelvic problem linked to his physical growth causing him to miss over 18 months of football.
Gordon has also suffered other setbacks, such as the ankle issue that forced him out of action in September, as the Liverpool Echo reported at the time.
‘He is now again around the first team’
The attacking gem hadn’t featured in a Liverpool squad since January 2022 prior to making the bench against Toulouse in November.
With the Reds already through to the last 16 of the Europa League, Klopp could potentially give Gordon the chance to return to senior action.
“So we were really unlucky with some of our big, big prospects,” said the Liverpool manager.
“We had that problem that they were a little bit too good already for the physical status, let me say it like that. So they were that good that we thought they could help us already and everybody went in the right direction and then the body said no, stop.
“And that happened to Kaide unfortunately two or three times, it was a really long time out. And that’s now really cool as well – from the first day back in training, we all realised immediately, ‘Ah, that’s what we missed, that’s what we had already.’
“So nothing happened really, still a fantastic player, still incredibly young and he is now again around the first team. We try to give him as much game time as possible with the U21s.
“You know that, I’m really a believer in that we need a strong U21s, they don’t need to be always at the same time on loan everywhere. There are different ways to develop talents. And especially after long injuries, you should not think immediately, ‘Now he’s fit again and send him out.’
“We have a really good group there together of young boys and some of them we will see tomorrow, that’s clear.
Liverpool have a ‘frightening’ talent in Kaide Gordon
Back in 2021, Gordon was the talk of Anfield, with fans, pundits and colleagues all singing his praises.
“Kaide has so much potential; it’s frightening, really,” Trent Alexander-Arnold told The Athletic at the time.
Meanwhile, Goal.com quoted Joe Gomez as saying: “He does extra things (in training) that wouldn’t even have crossed my mind when I was his age.
“Hats off to him, and I’m sure he can go on to have a great career. The platform he has, there’s no ceiling to it.”
Sadly, injury has cost Gordon nearly two years of his career. However, he’s now back in the fols, and it’s great to hear Klopp is still giving him chances and singing his praises.
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