‘He’s got all the attributes’: Liverpool-linked £20m ace hailed by international boss

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Reported Liverpool target Jamal Lewis has been praised by Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough, who claims the 22-year-old has “all the attributes” to shine for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.

Lewis came through the ranks at Norwich City and has made 100 competitive appearances for the Canaries in all competitions, including 28 in the Premier League.

In 2018-19, Lewis was one of several standout players who helped Daniel Farke’s side win the Championship amid strong competition from Sheffield United and Leeds United.

While things were tougher in the Premier League as Norwich were relegated after just one season, Lewis’ displays showed he has what it takes to impress at the top level.

The Evening Standard has claimed that Klopp is in the market for a back-up to Andrew Robertson, himself a signing from a club which had suffered relegation to the second tier.

However, the likes of Sky Sports and The Guardian have reported that an initial £10million offer has been rejected, with Norwich valuing the left-back at £20million.

Baraclough believes that the Northern Ireland international has the self-belief and drive to be a success at the newly crowned Premier League champions.

“He’s got all the attributes, he’s a level-headed kid and he’s one that wants to improve,” he is quoted by the Evening Standard as saying.

“You’ll find him in the gym before training and after training and he’s probably one of those kids, having worked with him for a little bit of time, you have to keep the reins on a bit so he doesn’t do too much.

“He wants to question you about how he can improve and I love players like that. I love players who invest time in themselves and don’t just settle for what they’ve got.”

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As well as having what it takes to play in the Premier League, Lewis’ attitude is top class, and Klopp is sure to love a player who’s so determined to impress that he’d have to tell him to slow down a bit.

Although Robertson has rarely missed a Premier League game over the past two seasons, the Liverpool boss is seemingly wary of relying exclusively on James Milner to provide cover for what could be a very taxing 2020-21 season.

Norwich are sure to play hardball over his signature but, with Lewis reportedly keen on switching to Anfield, it looks promising in terms of getting him in red before the transfer window closes.