Kent loving every minute in summer of opportunity
Life couldn't be much better for Academy winger Ryan Kent as he thrives on the opportunity being presented to him this pre-season by manager Jürgen Klopp.
The 19-year-old impressed again as he played the second half of the 2-0 friendly win over Wigan Athletic on Sunday – providing another assist for Ben Woodburn.
Kent, who has been at the club since the age of seven, knows how much work he still has to do in order to achieve his long-term goal of one day earning a regular first-team spot.
But he is grateful for the chance to showcase his abilities alongside some of the brightest talents being nurtured by Alex Inglethorpe and his staff at the Kirkby Academy.
“I'm enjoying every minute of playing in the first team at the moment,” Kent told Liverpoolfc.com.
“There's a lot of good players [in the forward positions] and a lot of competition for places, so I'm just trying to show what I'm capable of, show my ability, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
“It's not just a friendly game for us young players. This is our chance to impress the manager and the fans and take everything from it.
“We are all pushing each other along and thriving off each other's success and working every day to get better.
“The manager is showing a lot of faith in us and it's down to us to prove him right and prove the fans right that he can put his trust in the young players.”
Just as he had in the previous outing at Fleetwood Town, Kent laid on an assist for 16-year-old Woodburn, and he was quick to praise the finishing qualities of the Welsh youth international.
Reflecting on the goal, he said: “I just turned the defender and slipped Ben in for his chance. He showed a lot of composure and finished well.”
The Oldham-born youngster is now hoping that training at Melwood with the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino on a consistent basis will only further enhance his development.
“I'm playing with some of the best players in the world and can take a lot out of it, not just on the field but off it as well,” he said.
“The competitiveness in training is just as intense as it is on the field, so I'm taking a lot out of it.
“I'm just looking to keep on improving in pre-season, concentrate on my own game and try to impress the manager so I can keep my place in the squad.”