Liverpool not 'selfish' with youngsters, says Klopp after Brewster sale

(Reuters) - Liverpool will not stand in the way of youngsters who are unable to break into the first team and wish to continue their development elsewhere, manager Juergen Klopp has said after the club sold Rhian Brewster to Sheffield United.

With tough competition for a place in the starting lineup at Anfield, the highly-rated 20-year-old striker moved to the Blades for around 23.5 million pounds, with Liverpool having a buy-back option for three years.

“If I’m selfish that never helps ... All the young boys need to know that we don’t keep them here at all costs just so that we have a solution for one or two games a year. That is not how we work,” Klopp told reporters.

“They need to take some steps in their development and sometimes we are the right place for them to take this development and sometimes we are not.”

Brewster shot to fame in 2017 when he led England to the Under-17 World Cup with a tournament-high eight goals.

However, surgeries on his ankle and knee stalled his progress before the England Under-21 international was loaned to Swansea City last season where he scored 11 times in the second-tier Championship.

“I need a player in the right place and at the right moment, so that means he is ready to fight but has all the tools to fight for the position that the squad gives him the opportunity to fight for,” Klopp added.

“That’s really important, especially for a boy like Rhian who we were 100% concerned about during his development (because of his injury)... This is our boy and since I’ve been here Rhian was here, but unfortunately he got injured.”