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Klopp says Liverpool have a chance if Ibe, Smith do well at Bournemouth

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said that he will be closely monitoring Brad Smith and Jordon Ibe at Bournemouth.

The Reds sold both of their youth players to the Cherries earlier this summer for a total of £21million.

However, the Reds managed to negotiate buy-back clauses in both deals and Klopp hasn't ruled out an Anfield return for either of the players if they happen to succeed on the south coast.

Of English winger Ibe and Australian left-back Smith, Klopp told the Liverpool Echo: "The difference between loaning a player and selling a player isn't so great.

"Of course you get a fee when you sell a player. But in both situations you think they are old enough and ready to play but in that moment they don't have a fixed position in your team.

"At that age you have to play and that was the case with Brad Smith and Jordon Ibe. They had the possibility to do that (with Bournemouth) and they were deals that absolutely made sense for both sides.

"We will watch them, they will have pressure there, they will fight for the league or whatever, and we will see them growing up in pressure situations. That's perfect.

"If a player is on loan it's different. It's like going on holiday. You can always go home. That's difficult for these guys as they are always between clubs.

"Now Smith and Ibe are there and we have buy-back clauses. Hopefully they do really well and then in the end we and them will decide.

"The goodbyes were okay with both of them. Liverpool is still in their hearts so we will have a chance if they do well."

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Vyom Chaudhary
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Vyom Chaudhary

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