Liverpool plans change for £600,000 signing but Jurgen Klopp has already hinted at outcome

This wasn't how the season was meant to transpire for Ben Doak. Having raced through the Academy ranks after arriving from Celtic for £600,000 the previous year, Doak was part of the Liverpool first-team squad that travelled to Germany and then Singapore as part of their pre-season preparations.

The teenager scored in the 4-0 win over Leicester City in the Far East and made such an impact that he was named among the substitutes for the opening Premier League weekend at Chelsea and emerged for the final 13 minutes to replace Mohamed Salah on the right flank.

"I call him a Tasmanian devil with the way he is buzzing around, he’s just so quick," said Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk back in August. "If his decision-making gets better, and he has all the time in the world for that, then he could definitely be one for the future."

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With Europa League group games and the early rounds of the League Cup touted as opportunities for Doak to bolster his senior experience, there appeared plenty of scope for the winger to put himself in the frame to replace Salah when the Egyptian temporarily departs for Africa Cup of Nations duty next month.

But despite some game time, it hasn't really happened for Doak. Three starts in Europe have barely gone past the hour mark - indeed, he was replaced at half-time in the defeat in Toulouse - while he lasted 65 minutes in his sole League Cup outing at home to Leicester in which he spurned a good chance to open his senior account. His performances haven't quite managed to meet the early hype.

One EFL Trophy outing aside in the 4-0 second round thumping