Despite Liverpool signing three goalkeepers already this summer, there are no plans to send the youngest, Armin Pecsi, out on loan – and his agent explained why.
With Liverpool having sold Caoimhin Kelleher, loaned Vitezslav Jaros as well as Harvey Davies and released three academy ‘keepers, there was a need to bolster the goalkeeping department.
Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia and Freddie Woodman from Preston have both been acquired, as has Pecsi who is just 20 years old.
As previously reported, there are no plans to send Pecsi out on loan this season, and his agent, Matyas Esterhazy, has now explained why that is the case.
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“If we look at how many matches he has played in the past four years, he doesn’t need to build up his match routine in the least, he has the most of it,” Esterhazy told M4 Sport.
“That’s why we decided on a project where a year is about building up and not about how many matches and at what level he plays.
“In one year, he can develop in the skills he has, but he wouldn’t have been able to progress in these areas at home. The next step up should not be done in an ad hoc manner.
“Now he can develop in a professional environment, alongside world stars and with high expectations, and that’s how he can arrive at the next step.
“We don’t know yet exactly what level he will be capable of next year, it depends on the pace at which he can develop. There is and will be so much positive, great and open dialogue with the club over the year ahead.”
In his career so far, Pecsi already has 70 appearances to his name at senior level, including 52 for Puskas Akademia, keeping 21 clean sheets overall.
He has also been nominated for the prestigious European Golden Boy award, following his performances for both Puskas Akademia and Hungary Under-21s.
Despite his previous achievements, Pecsi’s agent claimed the “eye test” on his client was “questionable for many in Hungary” and “his thin physique was mentioned as a negative.”
However, the stats prove he is a goalkeeper with huge potential. Esterhazy also went out of his way to clarify Pecsi’s true height as being 190cm (6’2″), as opposed to a smaller figure that has been stated elsewhere.
Pecsi and his team are under no illusion that he is still in the development phase of his young career.
His agent added: “This is the result of a long work and planning, but we are still in the construction phase that we initially defined with his family.
“The transfer is a big step, the goal that Armin wants to achieve is getting closer, and we also think it is realistic, but he still has a lot to work on, there is room to develop.”
It is a good attitude to have, to sit in and be patient, especially given the signing of 28-year-old goalkeeper Woodman will have knocked Pecsi a notch down the pecking order.
However, the Hungarian will have likely known of Woodman’s imminent arrival before his transfer, proving he is willing to bide his time in elite surroundings.
