Hertha Berlin manager Pal Dardai has been impressed with young Liverpool midfielder Allan Rodrigues, while on trial with the Bundesliga side.
Allan joined up with Dardai’s squad for a trial last week, as he looks to seal a season-long loan move to the Olympiastadion Berlin.
The 19-year-old is not currently eligible for a work permit in the UK, meaning he must spend the 2016/17 campaign away from Merseyside in order to gain sufficient experience.
Allan has already Finnish side Seinajoen Jalkapallokerho and Sint-Truiden in the Belgian Pro League, and has caught the eye of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp described Allan as an “outstanding talent” after welcoming him to Melwood for training in March, saying “I saw him in training and I thought ‘oh my God, what can we do to keep this boy here and bring him into the line-up?'”
This praise has been echoed by Dardai, who has been impressed with Allan throughout his spell with Hertha so far.
Speaking to German publication Bild, Dardai admitted that he had contacted general manager Michael Preetz to push for a loan move for Allan.
“I told the manager that I would very much like to see Allan in our team and that I would love to work with him,” Dardai explained.
“For a 19-year-old he is bright, has vision, energy and game intelligence.
“He has responded very quickly even with turnovers, and is incredibly fast in action.
“[He’s] a really good guy, and he has also a tremendous shot.”
Allan is poised to seal a season-long switch to Berlin, and Hertha are not set to pay Liverpool any loan fee, with Klopp eager to provide Allan with experience of regular first-team football.
Where he will play for Hertha is unclear, with the Brazilian able to operate in a variety of roles in midfield.
But Dardai did acknowledge his ability to play in deep-lying role, and he could therefore rotate with Per Ciljan Skjelbred and club captain Fabian Lustenberger.
With Allan comfortable as a No. 10, too, and Dardai clearly an admirer of his talents, he should enjoy considerable game time in Berlin.
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