New Reds signing looking to break into starting lineup after Under-21s debut.
New Liverpool defender Tiago Ilori is happy to have made his first appearance at Anfield for the club’s Under-21 side, and hopes to make his first-team breakthrough soon, according to the Liverpool Echo.
The 20-year-old was a deadline day signing for the Reds after some impressive performances for Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon, which had seen him emerge as a long-term target for Brendan Rodgers.
Despite his talent, he remains fairly inexperienced, and he now looks set to continue his development at Anfield before immediately being involved in the first-team setup, as he faces plenty of competition for a place in central defence, with the likes of Daniel Agger, Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel and fellow new signing Mamadou Sakho ahead of him in the pecking order.
Still, he is in confident mood after a good display in a 5-2 win for the Under-21s, saying he hopes to keep enjoying victories for the side at senior level as well.
“I loved playing in the game and it was a great win,” he said. “I hope I can carry on winning at Anfield.
“Every player wants to play whether it’s in the first team or the reserves. I want to get as many minutes as I can.
“I didn’t have a proper pre-season due to injuring my hand but it’s good to be back fit now.
“I’m enjoying it here. Brendan Rodgers seems like a great guy and a great coach. I will do my best for the club.”
Ilori added that the lure of playing in the Premier League convinced him to make the move from his native Portugal, even though he admits it wasn’t easy leaving home.
“This is the best league in the world and it has always been a dream of mine to come and play here,” he continued.
“It’s never easy leaving the country you grew up in but it wasn’t that difficult because I knew I was doing what I wanted to do.
“That made it easier. I was aware of a couple of other clubs that were interested but the way Liverpool dealt with it and spoke with me made it an easier choice.”