Football: The strongest post-2000s Chapter 055

Li Qing was promoted from the youth team to the first team for the first time. He didn’t have a dedicated locker in the first-team changing room. He originally wanted to just change into a training shirt outside the stadium, but the staff immediately came forward to inquire.

After learning that Li Qing was a youth team player promoted by head coach Klopp, the logistics staff member led Li Qing into the first-team changing room and stated that Klopp had already informed the logistics department to make the necessary preparations when he decided to promote him.

With such logistical support, how could Li Qing not feel a sense of belonging?

Although this was a very small matter, many things are often determined by details.

A certain Liverpool executive who formulated the latest rules never expected that it was the subtle changes he made to the club that would allow Liverpool to have a true superstar in the future!

Getting back to the point, Li Qing placed his satchel in an unmarked locker and quickly changed into his training shirt, heading to the natural grass field where the first team usually trained.

After about twenty minutes, his body was fully warmed up and stretched, and he began ball training.

At this time, some first-team players had already driven to the exclusive parking lot. On their way from the parking lot to the changing room, the players could see someone already engaged in ball training on the training pitch.

They were very curious, as they couldn’t recall any teammate arriving at the training ground early, with some even wishing they could arrive just in time.

Woodburn and Alexander-Arnold were Liverpool’s U 18 teammates last season. This season, both were called up to the first team by Klopp and still followed U 18 matches.

From the early season slump to the mid-season explosion, they didn’t miss a single match.

Therefore, they knew that the U 18’s burst of form was not due to the entire team’s efforts, but rather Li Qing’s contribution of fifteen goals in five personal matches.

Rumor had it that he was already being watched by England U 20 national youth team coach Paul Simpson and U 17 coach Steve Cooper, as a talent reserve for this year’s two age-group World Youth Cups and World Cadet Cups.

The young man doing ball training in front of them, wasn’t that Li Qing?

They had long heard that Li Qing was the first to arrive at the Kirkby Academy and the last to leave during training weeks. Now it seemed, it was indeed true.

Team captain Henderson saw Woodburn and Alexander-Arnold slow down and look towards the pitch, so he asked, “Ben, Trent, what are you looking at?”

Woodburn pointed at Li Qing: “I think I already know who the gaffer’s new teammate is.”

“He is?”

Henderson remembered Klopp saying there would be a new player joining this week. He had always thought the team would poach a top striker from some big club, but he never expected it to be the young man in front of him.

“He’s the hotshot U 18 striker, Li.”

“Oh?”

Henderson looked at Li Qing with a hint of surprise: “Could he be that Li who scored four goals and assisted in the Youth FA Cup last weekend, helping Liverpool U 18 defeat Manchester City U 18?”

Although Henderson wasn’t from the Liverpool academy, as captain, he occasionally paid attention to the club’s youth development. Li Qing’s name had been particularly well-known in the past month or so.

“That’s right, it’s him.”

Alexander-Arnold nodded slightly.

Henderson raised an eyebrow. If he remembered correctly, Li Qing wasn’t even sixteen years old yet!

Could a teenager be capable of joining the first team?

He was very doubtful.

At exactly ten o’clock in the morning, Klopp stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the less than twenty first-team players in front of him, and announced loudly: “Before today’s training begins, I want to introduce our new teammate to all of you.”

Saying that, he looked at Li Qing: “His name is Qing Li, a striker from the Kirkby Academy U 18 youth team.”

Klopp’s introduction was direct, simple, and clear. Then he clapped his hands: “For today’s training, are you all ready?”

“Ready!”

Every Liverpool player roared in unison, greeting today’s training with full spirit.

Li Qing, standing to the side, was stunned for a moment. This was vastly different from the training atmosphere in the youth team, so he didn’t react immediately.

“Very good.”

Klopp’s sharp gaze swept across each player’s face, very satisfied with their reaction.

His mood remained high: “I announce… today’s training officially begins.”

After that, he looked at Woodburn and Alexander-Arnold, changing his tone: “Ben, Alexander, Li is from the U 18s. You two should communicate more with Li and help him integrate into the first team as soon as possible. Any problems?”

“No problem, sir.”

Woodburn and Alexander-Arnold said in unison.

The team began their warm-up training. Alexander-Arnold and Woodburn simultaneously ran towards Li Qing to introduce themselves.

The three young men were all from the Kirkby Academy and had common topics, and soon became inseparable friends.

Klopp, standing by the coaching bench, watched with satisfaction in his heart. He still vividly remembered the youth storm he had created during his time managing Dortmund, and he still wanted to replicate it at Liverpool. Woodburn and Alexander-Arnold were still a bit raw, and to achieve this wish, Li Qing needed to grow up quickly.

By then, Woodburn, Alexander-Arnold, and Li Qing would occupy three starting positions for the Reds, and the red whirlwind would sweep across Europe!

The script was already written in Klopp’s mind, but whether the three would grow according to his ideas remained to be seen.

After an hour of warm-up and stretching, regular training officially began. The first-team players, who had initially harbored some doubts about Li Qing’s abilities, now looked serious.

Especially in terms of speed, Li Qing astonished several defensive players in the team.

Defender Lovren couldn’t help but exclaim: “Even Sadio isn’t as fast as Li, is he? Are you really not sixteen yet?”

Aside from his incredible speed, his long passes, dribbling skills, and scoring ability also didn’t seem like they belonged to a minor.

Of course, Li Qing’s true dribbling skills hadn’t reached a certain height yet. The reason he displayed astonishing footwork in front of his teammates was entirely due to using a [Five-Star Skill Card], all in order to gain his teammates’ approval.

Li Qing’s abilities were recognized by most players in the team, and Klopp was very satisfied. Originally, he just wanted Li Qing to experience the Premier League atmosphere and didn’t really intend for him to play for the first team. However, Li Qing received unanimous praise from his teammates, which basically meant he was capable of playing in England’s top-tier matches.

After all, training matches were played with full effort, without any holding back.

If he performed well under such circumstances, what reason was there not to be optimistic about his future professional career?