16-year-old defender Ki-Jana Hoever promoted into first team squad

Liverpool have promoted young defender Ki-Jana Hoever to the first team after the 16-year-old impressed coaching staff this season, according to the Daily Mail.

The Dutch defender joined the Reds from Ajax in the summer, and is comfortable playing at right-back and centre-back.

Liverpool are currently in the midst of a minor defensive crisis, with Joel Matip and Joe Gomez out until January and Trent Alexander-Arnold still recovering from a knock picked up against Napoli.

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BURNLEY, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 05: Joe Gomez of Liverpool has his injury assessed during the Premier League match between Burnley FC and Liverpool FC at Turf Moor on December 5, 2018 in Burnley, United Kingdom. (REUTERS)

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Nathaniel Clyne made his first Premier League start of the season against Manchester United on Sunday in place of Alexander-Arnold at right-back, with James Milner still not quite fit enough to fill in again.

And now, it seems that Jurgen Klopp wants to add more depth to his defence by promoting internally, with Hoever stepping up from the academy to train with the first team squad at Melwood, where he apparently impressed the German boss.

Hoever began his Liverpool career with Barry Lewtas’s Under-18s before moving quickly up to the Under-23s, where he excelled.

Liverpool fended-off Manchester City and Chelsea for the Dutchman’s signature, and will hope that his natural abilities in the air and playing the ball out from the back will serve him well in the first team.

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Source: anfieldhq.com