Liverpool to Pursue "Next Bale" According to Report

One of the most striking differences between Jürgen Klopp and his recent predecessors at Liverpool is the ability to evaluate talent -- Klopp has a record of success that lends trust to his personnel choices in a way that others did not.

The success stories are almost endless -- Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marco Reus are just a few names that Klopp brought to Dortmund when he was a manager of the German club. It's not just his evaluation skills that are impressive, either. Even at Liverpool he has shown an innate ability to get the best out of players, quickly developing Emre Can, Dejan Lovren and Divock Origi among others since he took charge midseason.

So when he is linked to a 15-year-old "wonder kid" like Ryan Sessegnon, as the Mirror reports, it makes one pay especially close attention.

Sessegnon, who is a left back prospect for Fulham, has already captained the England under-16 side and scored three goals in seven matches. Hence the Mirror's comparison to former Tottenham attacking superstar Gareth Bale, who also got his start as a roadrunner down the left wing, playing a level of football far beyond his years.

To be clear, Sessegnon is not Bale and transfers rarely pan out, especially when they are made for super prospects still far away from first-team action.

Still, Arsenal reportedly pushed hard for him during the January transfer window, offering £3m and Serge Gnabry on loan. They were rebuffed by Fulham, but their interest speaks well to the youngster's ability. The Gunners are also well-known for their own evaluation skills when it comes to teenage talent.

In the end, signing prospects that Klopp believes in for a minimal fee is always encouraging, even if they don't always pan out. While it's unclear how interested Liverpool are in Sessegnon, he is now someone to keep an eye on.