Rumour Mongering: Celtic Target Liverpool Youngster

Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

A year on loan could prove valuable for Ki-Jana Hoever but the Reds are yet to decide on his short-term future.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold’s pre-season return delayed due to injury, Ki-Jana Hoever has provided depth on that side of the defence behind Neco Williams, suggesting the 18-year-old Dutch youth international is third in the pecking order.

Third in the pecking order, though, isn’t likely to equate to very much playing time, and a loan could provide better experience for the young defender than playing with the U23s—and now Celtic are said to want to bring in Hoever on loan.

According to ReadCeltic, the Scottish side have approached Liverpool about the possibility in recent weeks but have been told that, at the time being at least, a final decision as to the youngster’s immediate Anfield future hasn’t been made.

Given it’s unlikely Hoever will have a role to play outside of perhaps the League Cup, the bigger sticking point might be that the player remains quite young and has only been with the Reds for a little more than a season after joining from Ajax.

As valuable as senior playing time is for a young player, stability and being able to develop in a system is important, too, and in Germany manager Jürgen Klopp preferred to keep his youngsters near, playing with Borussia Dortmund’s reserves.

At Dortmund that was easier as their reserves played in the 3.Bundesliga—though they’ve now fallen into the regional divisions—but in Hoever’s case at least it appears the club hasn’t yet decided what would be best for his development.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com