Liverpool defender Nathaniel Phillips completed a loan move to 2. Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart during the summer transfer window.
With options looking hard to come by in Liverpool’s first team, the 22-year-old looked to seek a temporary move away from Anfield, in order to earn some valuable game time.
It is believed that, despite having several options away from Anfield, Jurgen Klopp was unhappy with the potential suitors.
He believed that Phillips could find a club better suited to his quality and style of play.
With Klopp ultimately responsible for the development of his players, he is known to take a genuine interest in where loan players end up playing their football.
In an interview with Bild, via the Liverpool Echo, Phillips has revealed that Klopp went the extra mile and personally found a club for him:
I told Jurgen Klopp about a few offers I had, Stuttgart was not one of them at that time.
Jurgen was not enthusiastic about the options and I think he called Sven Mislintat shortly after our meeting.
Having previously worked with Sven Mislintat at Borussia Dortmund, Klopp was eager to send Phillips to Stuttgart.
The German boss believed that his hometown club would be a perfect fit for the defender.
In addition to personally arranging the move to the German side, Klopp also showed his class in contacting Phillips to wish him good luck:
Klopp congratulated me on this move and he immediately wrote me a message on his phone: ‘Good club, great city, my birthplace, I wish you a great time.
Read Liverpool Verdict
Having been at the club since 2015, we are now fully aware of the skills that Klopp brings as a manager.
He is an infectious boss who gains respect from near enough everyone he meets, but what’s most noticeable is the way in which so many people warm to the German.
His ability to get people on his side is down to the personal care he shows for his players.
This latest example of helping Phillips find a good loan move proves that Klopp is the perfect fit for Liverpool.
He embodies everything that it means to represent the Reds, whether it is through big hugs after an important win or sending messages of support to youngsters.
