Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp: 'Ragnar Klavan is a perfect role model'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 28 December 2017

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hails Ragnar Klavan as the "perfect role model" for new signings ahead of Virgil van Dijk's arrival at the club.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has described Ragnar Klavan as the "perfect role model" for new signings joining the club.

Klavan has made 12 Premier League appearances so far this season and has started the last five games in a row for the Reds, but he has spent much of his Liverpool career behind the likes of Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren in the pecking order.

The 32-year-old's first-team chances are likely to be further limited by Virgil van Dijk's imminent arrival at Anfield, but Klopp insists that the Estonian remains an important member of the squad.

"He is a perfect role model for pretty much all signings. He loves being here," he told reporters.

"He needs to be confident. He could be much more confident with his skills but we are working on that as well. He is in good shape at the moment. It's very, very important for us that he is.

"We had Joel [Matip] and Dejan [Lovren] with one or two little [injuries] so it was very important that he could step in."

Liverpool have kept three clean sheets in the five consecutive games which Klavan has started.