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Jurgen Klopp insists Joe Gomez will stay at Liverpool rather than go out on loan in the second half of the season.

The 19-year-old defender has been linked with a temporary move to Championship outfit Huddersfield Town in January but Klopp doesn’t believe a spell away from the Reds would benefit him.

Gomez has been building up his match fitness since returning to action for Liverpool Under-23s last month following a year out with anterior cruciate ligament and Achilles injuries.

After three outings for the Reds’ second string, he remains some way off a first-team comeback but Klopp is convinced that the England Under-21s international has a big future at Anfield.

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Asked if Gomez would compete for a first-team spot in the new year or head out on loan, Klopp said: “No to the second question about a loan.

“For us, I don’t think so. We had a very good talk. What I think about Joe Gomez is he is an unbelievable talent, which everybody knew before.

“It’s a long injury and if we send him on loan, with his quality, a team will play him every game. That is not what he needs in the moment. Because he was a long time injured he needs us to judge: ‘now play, now stop, rest, work on this, do this, do a little bit on this’.”

Klopp views the next six months for Gomez as an extended pre-season, enabling him to get up to full speed ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.

“He’s our boy for the future 100%,” Klopp added.

“This half a year playing I don’t know, playing the highest level he can, maybe. We have him. So maybe he is an option for the first team. But maybe not for this season.

“His pre-season has already started and he can get match time, and will have match time for sure with the under-23s. That’s very important.

“He was not part of all our tactical drills and all the things we did. Now he is a part of it. And he has to learn a lot which is good.

“There’s no rush for him, and no rush for me. At this moment I would say ‘no loan’ but everything else, we will see.”