Jurgen Klopp dreams of a Liverpool team ‘full of Scousers’

Jurgen Klopp has spoken of his dream of coaching a Liverpool team ‘full of Scousers’ and believes those emerging from the club’s production line will ensure their success continues.

Defender Trent Alexander-Arnold and up-and-coming midfielder Curtis Jones were born in the city of Klopp’s current squad though the likes of Neco Williams and Ben Woodburn have been in the club’s academy from primary school age.

But Klopp would like to see more local lads in the Liverpool team and believes that will be the case in the next few years.

Jurgen Klopp is keen to see more local born players in the Liverpool team in years to come

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the most prominent local lad currently in the Liverpool squad 

‘The dream is to have all the boys – maybe it won’t happen in the next five years but maybe in 10 years – if you could have a team full of Scousers, why not?’ Said Klopp ahead of the champions’ visit to Brighton on Wednesday night.

‘It’s not a bad thing to be a Scouser, it’s a good thing because they are hard working and it’s eminently clear that they would fight like crazy.

‘These are the good characteristics of a Scouser. The door is open for all the other boys who want to play football.’

The likes of Williams, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott breaking through into the Liverpool first-team suggests a bright future for a team that won the Champions League last season and ended a 30-year wait for a league title last month.

The young trio will be hoping for further minutes at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday and in Liverpool’s remaining fixtures now the league title has been secured.

Klopp would like to see more ‘local lads’ come through the academy ranks and into the team

Curtis Jones (second left) celebrates scoring in Liverpool’s win over Aston Villa on Sunday

Asked about local players in Premier League squads generally, Klopp said: ‘I don’t know if it will always be possible to be honest.

‘It is easier for the London clubs. Do you have to come directly from Chelsea to be a local lad? Is it allowed that you are from another part of London to still be local?

‘We want to be the spot for everybody with a Scouse soul, where he wants to play. It’s not a competition with Everton. If you love football, if you are talented, if you are ready to work hard, we want you to be here.

‘We need to show the boys there is a way through. It is really nice the boys are so close, that Trent made it and the three others are so close to getting through is an important sign for all the other kids around.

‘You can play and train together with world class players and improve as much as you can and the clubs is ready to give you a chance – that is an important message. If you are a talented boy and have the desire to improve, the door is really wide open.’