‘Proper footballer’ – Andoni Iraola names the Liverpool player who really surprised him

Liverpool are slowly clicking into gear under Andoni Iraola and have won their last three games across all competitions.

The Reds will look to make it four in a row tomorrow, but Brighton will look to spoil their party at Anfield and are looking in ominous touch under Fabian Hurzeler.

While Liverpool’s big guns have come to the fore this season, a handful of young players like Lewis Koumas, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha have also made defining contributions.

And now, Iraola has singled out Nyoni for special praise as he continues to stake a claim for a starting XI spot.

Andoni Iraola lauds Liverpool midfielder Trey Nyoni

Nyoni has been at Liverpool for a couple of years now and has been in and around the first team.

Last season, he was used as a substitute by Arne Slot to see off games.

This time around, however, Iraola seems to trust him a lot more, with the youngster starting against Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League earlier this week.

And the Spaniard feels he was surprised by Nyoni’s quality when he first arrived at the club, adding that he’s a proper footballer.

“He’s surprised me,” said Iraola via SomosElBoro on YouTube.

“As soon as I arrived, I saw him and thought, ‘There’s a proper footballer here.'”

Nyoni is well and truly a first-team player now and will look to carry on developing. If he reaches his potential, Liverpool could end up saving millions in the transfer market – that goes without saying.