Forgotten Jurgen Klopp Liverpool signing causing concern and Jamie Carragher is involved

Jurgen Klopp believed he had found Liverpool’s answer to their right-back issues when he signed talented defender Calvin Ramsay two years ago. But, if anything, the youngster’s situation may hand the club an unwanted dilemma rather than a solution in the coming months.

Ramsay, a £4.2million buy from Aberdeen in the summer of 2022, was billed as the ideal heir to Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the England star paving the way towards a different role in midfield.

The young Scot, who was 18 at the time, had thrived in the Scottish Premiership and registered nine assists in 39 appearances. He was also named the Scottish Football Writers’ Association’s Young Player of the Year for 2021-22 and was shortlisted for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year.

His performances did not go unnoticed in England either, with a number of Premier League clubs watching him. The lure of joining Klopp and Liverpool was evident, though, as the German made a special effort to land the “outstanding” defender.

Some two years down the line, Ramsay’s name is barely mentioned on Merseyside. What started out as a “dream come true” is quickly turning into a nightmare as he faces a battle to salvage his Liverpool career.

The 21-year-old was rocked by injuries that hampered his first months at his new club and he didn’t make his debut until November, appearing as an 87th minute substitute in the 2-0 win against Napoli in the Champions League. Eight days later, he started against Derby County in the Carabao Cup and produced a solid display.

But his season ended prematurely in February when he underwent surgery on a knee injury – and it is fair to say Ramsay has endured a difficult period in trying to recapture his fitness and form.

He spent the first half of the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Preston North End, only to make just two appearances for the Championship outfit before his loan was cut short.

Ramsay then joined Bolton for the remainder of the season on loan, a place where Conor Bradley had thrived, but he didn’t enjoy the same experience of minutes that his Reds colleague did and managed only four appearances for the Trotters.

This summer, he was sent to Wigan on a temporary deal only to find himself stuck behind Jamie Carragher’s son, James, in the pecking order. His five appearances for the League One outfit have combined for a total of 146 minutes of action on the pitch, highlighting his bit-part role.

Despite experiencing a number of setbacks, the one-cap Scotland international has vowed to prove his doubters wrong by making an impression whilst out on loan.

“It has been tough but I feel I’ve come back more resilient,” Ramsay said. “When I signed for Liverpool, everything was going great for me. My career was on an upward trajectory.

“So when you suddenly get a setback it’s tough to deal with. I was buzzing, then when that hits you it’s like ‘Oh no, what’s happening here?’ But I have a burning desire to get back to where I was when I signed for Liverpool and show people what I can do.

“A couple of managers haven’t given me game time so I want to prove why I should have been playing in their team. Any player wants to prove people wrong and show why you got that big move to a huge club. That’s what I have to do now.”

But with Klopp gone and Alexander-Arnold and Bradley both ahead of him in the pecking order, it remains to be seen if there is a place for Ramsay in the Liverpool setup going forward under Arne Slot.