Jurgen Klopp's advice to Nat Phillips as Liverpool star asks to leave

Liverpool defender Nat Phillips wants to leave the club in January and has received Jurgen Klopp's blessing.

The 24-year-old has made just two appearances in all competitions this season.

Phillips became a vital part of Klopp's team last term following serious injuries to regular centre-backs Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez.

He went on to play 17 Premier League games to help Liverpool finish third and qualify for the Champions League.

But Phillips has slipped back down the pecking order after Van Dijk and Matip returned to fitness and Ibrahima Konate arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer.

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And, with just 46 professional games under his belt, the Englishman is keen to play regular football, with Klopp honest enough to urge his player to seek opportunities elsewhere.

"The manager and I agree that the best thing for me is to play as many games as possible," Phillips told Sky Sports News.

"I think you saw last year I developed well. I'm going to see what comes along [in January] and go from there.

"I think at this moment in time it's unlikely that I'll be playing lots of games for Liverpool, so if an opportunity arises where I get the chance to do that somewhere else.

"And if it suits everyone then it's certainly something I'd be interested in.

"I've had the exposure and experience in the Premier League and the Champions League. So maybe those situations where you're new and nervy, I've gone through that phase.

"I don't need to go through that process if I do go somewhere else. I'll be ready straight away to get involved and play."

Despite his lack of experience on the pitch, Phillips believes he's learnt a lot from playing with the likes of Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah in training.

"Not only defenders we have, but the attackers as well," he added when discussing the quality in Liverpool's ranks. "If I'm holding my own in training against the strikers we have then it stands me in good stead.

"I can't complain. The standard in training improves me every day. If it wasn't to happen I would certainly still be living a happy life."

Speaking about Phillips earlier this month, Klopp said he was one of the most improved players he's coached during 20 years as a manager.

"People often ask me which player made the biggest improvements under my leadership and I say Robert Lewandowski," revealed the Liverpool boss.

"That's probably right, but not far off that is Nat Phillips, just in a completely different department.

"I remember when I saw Nat Phillips first. I spoke to him after the game and he's one of the smartest players I ever worked with. I told him, 'You know you are not the easiest on the eye, eh?'

"He improved in pretty much everything since, and he's not playing. Life is sometimes not fair and I can't blame him.

"We cannot keep him forever, that's clear. We needed him, just to be safe, for that half-year. We will see what happens in the window. He was fine doing it because he's a great guy.

"His development is absolutely insane. You saw it last year, you would have said 'Nat Phillips, oh my god, he plays in the last line?'

"People love him because of his heading but with his feet he is unbelievable. He's a late starter, but his development is unbelievable. I would sign him for any club except Liverpool, because we have him."