Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho has revealed how he was inspired as a youngster by Liverpool legend John Barnes.
Sancho has become one of Europe's hottest properties having proven an outstanding success since moving to the Bundesliga from Manchester City in 2017.
The 20-year-old has scored 34 goals in 99 appearances for Dortmund, who have admitted the England international could be among the players set to leave the club this summer.
Jurgen Klopp has been a long-time admirer of the England international but stated last month he would be surprised if the player moved to the European, world and Premier League champions this summer.
And now Sancho has explained how a Liverpool great helped him during the early stages of his career.
"My dad was a big fan of John Barnes," he said. "He had a couple of videos of him at home and I used to watch them a lot.
"I used to look at Ronaldinho on YouTube. That was a big thing for me. He used to try things that no-one else would try and that made me like him a lot.
"I didn't have a team that I supported, though. I just idolised a lot of great players."
Speaking in an interview in the August issue of World Soccer magazine, Sancho was also asked about the rumours that have linked him with a £100million return to the Premier League this season with Liverpool, City and Manchester United touted as potential destinations.
"I don't know what to say to that," he said. "It's hard to say. That's the future.
"You never know what could happen, so we will wait and see."
