Liverpool defender Nat Phillips has revealed that he had a formal chat with manager Jurgen Klopp about his future in the summer.
Phillips spent the majority of last season on loan at Stuttgart in Germany and was heavily linked with a transfer away from Anfield.
The 23-year-old was well down the Liverpool pecking order and was reportedly subject of interest from the Bundesliga and Championship.
However, a deal never materialised and injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez thrust Phillips into the first-team picture.
He has made two appearances - a 2-1 win over West Ham United in October and the 1-1 draw with Brighton last month - but Phillips admitted his situation could have been very different had Klopp made a different call.
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“Nothing formal other than over the summer,” he said when asked by the club website how often he has spoken to the Liverpool boss.
“We obviously didn’t really know what was happening then, that was the last formal chat we had with regards to what my plan was and obviously the situation was completely different then.
“Since then, we’ve had the odd exchange of words. If it looks like I’m going to be playing at the weekend he’ll just ask me if I feel that I’m ready.
“And like I said before, he just tells me to enjoy myself and play my game like he knows that I can do.”
Phillips has been named in Liverpool’s last six Premier League matchday squads, but has not been used since the draw with Brighton.
Rhys Williams was given the nod against FC Midtjylland in midweek with Phillips not included in the Champions League squad due to his uncertain situation in the summer.
Phillips added: “I don’t think you could ever say you’re fully settled because every day you are competing for a place in the squad,” he added.
“So I think you would be a bit foolish to get too comfortable because every day you’ve got to be working hard to make sure you’re in the squad at the weekend.”
