Liverpool boss Arne Slot set to sell second youngster Jurgen Klopp labelled ‘big talent’

Liverpool youngster Harvey Blair is set to leave the club this summer to join Portsmouth in a deal worth £300,000 – shortly after featuring on the club’s pre-season tour of America

Liverpool youngster Harvey Blair is set to be sold by Arne Slot to Portsmouth – despite previously being labelled a “real talent” by Jurgen Klopp.

The Championship outfit have agreed a fee of £300,000 with the Premier League giants for the 20-year-old’s services. The forward is set to be the 12th player leaving Liverpool this summer, following in the wake of Sepp van den Berg’s £25million move to Brentford.

Blair has been granted permission to discuss personal terms and take a medical at Portsmouth, reports The Athletic. His journey started with Liverpool at 12 years old, when he joined from Manchester United in 2015.

The starlet made his lone first-team outing in October 2021 during an EFL Cup fourth-round clash against Preston North End. This preceded the club’s eventual triumph in the competition, where they clinched the cup against Chelsea following a nail-biting penalty shootout that ended 11-10.

Klopp was full of praise for Blair after his debut, highlighting his potential when he said: “Harvey is a real talent but offensive players they need passes, they need the right moments. You can’t expect in the first game against a challenging team that he outplays four players and then puts the ball in the far corner.”

Blair himself was taken aback by his inclusion, expressing his disbelief to club media: “I was thinking, ‘I’m starting what?! This is crazy.'” Adding, “I didn’t expect it all. It was crazy and it all went so fast.

“By the time I knew it, I was in the hotel before the game and just waiting for the kick-off. It was crazy. I was so nervous and everything was coming on top of me. I was just like, ‘I’m actually going to play for Liverpool, my team.’ It was such a crazy moment.”

Previously featuring in all three matches during Liverpool’s pre-season tour of America, the chances of breaking into the first team were going to be a tough challenge due to the wealth of talent in the forward positions that Slot has at his disposal.

He is now poised for a move to Fratton Park, who have had a mixed start to their Championship return with a 3-3 draw against Leeds in their opening fixture followed by a goalless stalemate against Luton Town.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.