Trent Alexander-Arnold has explained how he used his time with the Liverpool squad in La Manga to “absorb” information from his team-mates.
The 18-year-old was one of a number of youngsters who joined Jurgen Klopp‘s first team for their mid-season training camp in Spain, taking advantage of a break in their schedule.
Alexander-Arnold was joined by Conor Masterson, Yan Dhanda, Sheyi Ojo, Harry Wilson and Ben Woodburn on the flight, with Klopp drafting a 27-man group as he plots for the rest of the season.
Working every day alongside the likes of James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana, they were able to experience life as a senior footballer, as Alexander-Arnold explained.
“Because you’re away 24 hours a day, you get to see what their whole routines are—what they put into their body, what time they go to sleep, everything like that,” he said.
“You see how professional every single player is, and you’re kind of surprised by it.
“You hear rumours about how professional the first-team players are at the Academy.
“But when you’re in and around it you actually see that nothing bad will go into their body, because they know it won’t help them, things like that.
“It’s incredible because it just shows the level you have to get to and that’s what all us youngsters are trying to do.”
Klopp will be looking for his elder statesmen to serve as role models to his young talents, and Alexander-Arnold continued to attest how he was looking to “absorb” their advice to improve.
“I think every bit of advice you get, you’ve got to take it because obviously the players are more experienced,” he added.
“And they’ve been in the position that I’m in right now so they know the situation better than me.
“If they know how to handle it, it’s best if they give me that knowledge and then I can absorb it and use it. I think that’ll help me.”
The right-back could see his opportunities limited between now and the end of the season, with Nathaniel Clyne firmly established as Klopp’s first choice and the Reds facing a reduced fixture list.
But he stressed that he was just hoping to play as much football as possible, “whether that’s first team or U23s or whoever,” with this crucial for a player his age.
Next season, with Liverpool likely qualifying for European football, his game time is set to increase, and Alexander-Arnold can draw upon that short spell in La Manga to aid his transition.
Fan Comments