Liverpool’s tendency to rope in youngsters have been well documented with the acquisition of players like Sepp van den Berg and Harvey Elliott. However, one such starlet, who had said no to Liverpool has now stated the reasons for saying so.
Goal reports that Christian Koffi has revealed the reason for ditching Liverpool, implying that the presence of bigger stars prevented him from making a move to Merseyside in 2018. The Ivorian has mentioned “Everything was decided a little bit at the last moment,” he said.
“I was very flattered by the interest of Liverpool, but I chose Fiorentina for my progress. Liverpool is more than a big club and I was not ready at this time, especially in 2018. Liverpool’s team was very good. It was not the good timing, it’s the truth.”
Who is Christian Koffi?
The Fiorentina U-19 moved from Monaco in the summer of 2018. Klopp was extremely eager to bring him to Anfield, but he chose Italy over the Premier League club. Starting his career at Monaco, Koffi has attracted the attention of scouts all around the world. Primarily playing as a right-winger, he can also ply his trade as a number 10 or on the left flank.
Those who have seen him play, rate him very highly, and it seems that his dribbling skills and finishing ability are at par with some of the best in the world. He also has a keen eye for goal, taking up the bulk of the goal-scoring responsibilities for his side.
When the Reds came calling, he instead chose a move to Fiorentina, where he has been stealing the show for the youth setup. The rate at which he is developing gives one the hope that very soon the Serie A club would integrate him into their first team. The young gun could be a vital man in Giuseppe Iachini’s team in a few years, and Koffi has all the potential to take European football by storm in the future.
Has Koffi made the right decision?
Koffi decided to snub Liverpool at a very early age. While this has been a trend of many youngsters to ditch the relatively bigger clubs in search of first-team football, the same cannot be said about him. He joined the youth team of Fiorentina and still now continues his development in the same setup. Players like Elliot and Van den Berg have taken the other path, deciding to join one of the best teams in the world and fight their way out to the top.
While perspectives may vary, it could be easily said that at Liverpool, the player would have had access to better training facilities and coaching staffs. Most importantly, Jurgen Klopp himself is exceptionally involved in the development of the youngsters, and that plays a massive role in the growth of these talented prospects. The philosophy that the German manager had instilled in the senior team is replicated at every setup of the club, and so far it may seem that Koffi has missed out on these opportunities. Whether Liverpool have missed out on a future star, only time will tell.
