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Jurgen Klopp has handed teenager Curtis Jones his Liverpool debut at Wolves in the third round of the FA Cup.

The youngster from the city centre has risen through the ranks at Liverpool, impressing at all levels in youth football before being fast-tracked to Melwood in order to train with Klopp's first-team squad in April.

The midfielder is a powerful attacker who stood out during the club's tour of America in the summer, and he sat down with the ECHO's full-time Liverpool reporter James Pearce for an exclusive interview.

Here it is in full:

Curtis Jones reflected on his remarkable rise at Liverpool and admitted: “I'm living the dream.”

The 17-year-old attacking midfielder has been one of the Reds' standout performers in pre-season.

Jones has grasped his chance to impress Jurgen Klopp during the tour of America – delivering dazzling displays against both Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City in the International Champions Cup.

“It's been an unbelievable experience so far,” Jones told the ECHO.

“This is my boyhood club and playing for Liverpool means everything. For me, this is a dream.

Follow Curtis Jones' Liverpool debut at Wolves live here

“I'm just going out there trying to impress and doing the best I can. I'm listening to everything the manager has been saying and trying to put that into practice.”

A year ago Jones was preparing to start the season with Steven Gerrard's under-18s squad. He only made his under-23s debut in January but was subsequently promoted to train at Melwood and was named on the bench for the Merseyside derby at Goodison in April.

The England youth international, who grew up in the city centre, has been part of the senior set-up since and has continued to make rapid progress.

“To be able to train every day with so many class players has been amazing for me,” Jones said.

“They'll come over and have a little word in my ear. They'll tell me what I'm doing right and what I can improve on. A lot of the senior players have helped me in different ways.”

In the absence of skipper Jordan Henderson, vice-captain James Milner has taken the teenager under his wing in the States.

There have also been messages of support from Academy director Alex Inglethorpe and Liverpool Under-23s boss Neil Critchley.

“I've got to give a lot of credit to Milner,” Jones said.

“He's been a big help. He's been in my position. He was a young lad when he was first in and around the first team (at Leeds). He knows what it's like and to have him around has been great for me.

“Alex will give me a text now and again and Neil will call for a chat. Their advice has been just to keep my head down and keep going.”

Jones, who has been on the club's books since joining the under-9s, was described by Klopp earlier this week as “a proper Scouser”.

The manager was referring to how the youngster has taken everything in his stride and not been fazed by his surroundings.

Having shone in front of 55,000 in Charlotte, he repeated the trick for the 52,000 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Wednesday night.

“I think my personality has helped me settle in,” he said.

“I believe in myself and I'm bringing what I did for the under-18s and the under-23s to the first team.

“I've not changed my game in any way. I think I'm playing the same game, just maybe a bit smarter.

“Whatever level I play at, I just give it my all. If I get called back to play for the under-18s I'll give exactly the same effort that I do for the first team.”

Klopp's willingness to put his faith in youth provides the perfect motivation for Jones, who is loving working with the German coach.

“Everyone knows I like to get on the ball and dribble, I like to get goals and assists,” he continued.

“But Jurgen has definitely helped me on the other side of the game in terms of defending and tackling, getting back and helping the team.

“He has got me fitter as a player. I feel like I can last a lot longer in games now, playing at the tempo I want to be at.”

(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Jones left the MetLife Stadium with his right wrist heavily strapped after hurting it when he went down in the box just before half-time against City.

But he's determined to ensure it doesn't keep him out of Saturday's final tour game against Manchester United in Ann Arbor.

“I fell on it after the penalty claim but it's okay,” he insisted. “I don't dive and in my eyes it was definitely a penalty.

“I'm just taking each game as it comes. If I get to play against United I'll stick to my normal game and give it my all.”

Jones has long since been on Klopp's radar. He was just 15 when he first trained at Melwood.

"I just want to be involved in the manager's plans going forward," he said.

"Pre-season is a massive chance to catch his eye. My target for this season is to make my debut for the first team."