Tsimikas fits the mould for Liverpool´s full-backs, says Klopp

Jurgen Klopp says new signing Kostas Tsimikas is “really right on track” with his career development and fits the mould of what he wants from his Liverpool full-backs.

Tsimikas completed his move to Anfield from Olympiacos last week in a deal reported to be worth £11.7million.

On the face of it, signing a new left-back would not have appeared high on the list of priorities for the Reds given the consistently brilliant form of Andy Robertson, who provided 12 assists and two goals in Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning team.

But a lack of cover in the position means veteran James Milner has mainly filled the void on the rare occasions Robertson has been unavailable. 

Klopp explained that the importance of full-backs to Liverpool’s style of play was what made the Greece international such an attractive proposition.

“Kostas is a signing which just shows what we are looking for, what we need,” the Liverpool boss told the club’s official website. 

“I think the left-back position was now not a position where the people out there would have thought, ‘we need another player’ and stuff like this. 

“It worked out pretty well, Millie played there from time to time but we cannot take any risk or we should take as little risk as possible. 

“Our full-backs in the way we play are so important with the skills they have, the speed they have, the crosses they bring in and stuff like this. 

“When I saw Kostas the first time, I thought, ‘is it possible to get somebody like him?’ Meanwhile, he’s not the most experienced player because he started a little bit later with a proper career.

“But in the last two or three years, he’s really right on track and then has started building his career obviously. 

“Then we had a conversation and he was very, very positive about this, knowing that we have already a world-class full-back – but that’s exactly what you try to have.”

#LFCPreSeason pic.twitter.com/uOsUGvRmfc

— Liverpool FC (Premier League Champions ) (@LFC) August 16, 2020

Klopp added that Tsimikas’ signing was made with a hectic 2020-21 campaign in mind and to help protect his starting full-backs in the long term.

“It will be the most intense season probably of our lives. And because of coronavirus, we cannot prepare perfectly for it because the market is not like this, nobody knows exactly how it will be in the next few months,” he added.

“I think we are all rather positive than negative about the situation in the world out there, but we still have to work on it and we still have to wait for the proper solution, which is not there. 

“I’m not sure we can cover each potential problem we have like this but this problem, I’m pretty happy with the solution. 

“Robbo and Trent [Alexander-Arnold], let’s say, they cannot play every season 50-something games – it would limit their careers, to be honest, even when they come through. So I’m really happy that we got this proper option and he is a proper option. 

“He’s a super guy, a very confident boy, cheeky and if you want, watch him on YouTube – probably most of our supporters did that already. I would say quite exciting.”