THERE WAS GOOD news for Irish youngster Conor Masterson as he was included in Liverpool’s Champions League squad on Monday.

The 19-year-old Dublin-born player is one of nine defenders to make the final cut for the Reds, in addition to Dejan Lovren, Joe Gomez, Ragnar Klavan, Alberto Moreno, Andy Robertson, Joel Matip, Jon Flanagan and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

It is not the first boost Masterson has received in his bid to earn first-team football at Anfield. Last February, the young centre-back — who Liverpool signed in July 2014 after he impressed with Lucan United in the Kennedy Cup in 2012 — was part of the Reds’ 27-man warm weather mid-season training camp in La Manga.

Masterson was also named on the bench for an FA Cup tie at Exeter by Klopp when he was just 17 years old.

He is also well thought of in Irish underage footballing circles, captaining both the U17 and U19 teams at various points.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo back in February, Klopp explained that he included Masterson and fellow youngster Yan Dhanda in his side’s training camp on the advice of first-team development coach Pep Lijnders.

We could have taken Rhian Brewster or a few other guys, but Yan Dhanda and Conor Masterson are the next boys.

“Pep is the man for this. We needed two players and we decided on Yan and Conor.

I know all of the boys and that’s really cool. It’s a good group. They have worked well, really good attitude. Yan and Conor have fitted in well.”

Subscribe to The42 podcasts here:

Brian Kerr calls for Wes Hoolahan to start against Serbia>

Real Manchester United is back again and it’s great to see – Ruud Van Nistelrooy>