Big things expected of 'Szobo' after speedy recovery from injury
New signing is set to play at the National Stadium tonight against Leicester City
Perhaps he was knackered after a training session in the Singapore humidity. Perhaps he doesn't speak English well enough.
Or perhaps Reds new signing Dominick Szoboszlai was simply not used to 15,000 fans watching him being put through his paces.
After all, with due respect to his former club Red Bull Leipzig in the Bundesliga, this sort of fandom around the world is reserved only for clubs as big and loved as Liverpool and Manchester United.
The Hungarian midfielder cut an exhausted figure as he walked through the mixed zone en route to the team bus after Liverpool’s open training session at the National Stadium on Saturday evening.
Cries of “Dominick, Dominick” rang out from both sides of the aisle – one side camera-carrying fans, the other recorder-wielding journalists – as the 22-year-old made a beeline for the bus.
He turned and glanced at the media, before waving his hand as if to say “I can’t right now.”
Surely, Szoboszlai, one of Liverpool’s two major signings this summer next to Alexis Mac Allister, will soon get used to all the attention and adoration.
Big things are already expected of him from manager Jurgen Klopp.
"He did really, really well in the Bundesliga, playing for the Hungary national team and then becoming captain of his national team at an incredibly young age,” Klopp said during the announcement of the £60m signing earlier this month.
"There is no pressure, though. Dominik is still a very young player. He has so much development ahead of him and this means it makes sense for us all to be patient and give him the time and space to allow his talent to come through.”
Szoboszlai, a versatile player who can play across midfield, started the Reds’ opening pre-season game against Karlsruher SC, playing 45 minutes in the 4-2 win, but then sat out the next match because of a twisted ankle.
Ahead of the training session on Saturday, Klopp revealed “Szobo” will be back for the Leicester friendly on Sunday (July 30) evening at the National Stadium.
“He will train tonight, and if nothing happens here he will play tomorrow night, definitely,” he told reporters.
“We have really a lot of intense sessions and it was in one moment where he just rolled his ankle a little bit… (but) he was already back running pretty quickly after.
“Tonight will be a proper session, and for the game tomorrow, there is nothing to suggest he won’t play.”
His first ever goal for the Reds scored in Kallang? Now wouldn’t that be a treat for us fans.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now