Arne Slot delight at Liverpool transfer move revealed as Scotland star details summer move and Anfield mentor

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The Liverpool loanee has been sent out to Middlesbrough for the season

Ben Doak says he has a Liverpool and Scotland father figure to lean on in Andy Robertson - as he opens up on his summer switch.

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The Liverpool starlet is out on loan at Middlesborough in the English Championship this season as he looks to build senior experience, after injury disrupted his 23/24 campaign. He’s been called up for the latest Scotland squad for Nations League matches with Croatia and Portugal over the next week.

Doak was listed for action at Euro 2024 but had to withdraw as he struggled to shake his injury troubles. After Jurgen Klopp vacated the Liverpool head coach chair in the summer, Arne Slot has taken over, and promptly send the youngster to the Championship for senior experience.

He admits there’s been no communication with Slot, but the Dutchman was happy with the Scotland’s star loan choice. Doak said: “I haven't spoken to him since I left, but he was really happy with my decision. I had one or two teams to pick from and he was really happy that I chose Boro with Michael Carrick, I think the gaffer really likes the style of football he plays.

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“The week before we came here, I played three games in seven days. I started all three of them and I think it's the most football I've played in the last eight or nine months. t's tough on you physically, but considering I hadn't done that before, I felt fine. I felt fit and I enjoyed every minute of it.”

At club level and with the national team, Andy Robertson has proven a father-like figure for Doak. The winger says. Doak said when asked for his biggest influences outside his parents: “Robbo is probably up there.

‘He keeps me right quite a lot. If I'm having a good day, he'll tell me. If I'm having a bad day and my head's gone a wee bit, he'll reel me in a bit.

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‘He's probably the first name that comes to mind in terms of keeping me right. He's always looking out for you. He's always on the wind-up, trying to have a laugh. That just naturally makes you more comfortable in the dressing room with the more experienced lads. It can be easy to get carried away.

“It's not just Robbo. All the lads in this squad make it really easy to settle in. As soon as I came in, I just felt right at home. All the lads, they get you involved in the banter and stuff. They're really easy to talk to if you need advice on the park.”

With Scotland on the hunt for placement at the World Cup in 2026, Doak has the ambition to play for his country on such a stage. In the infancy of his career in dark blue though, the initial targets are just to make an impact, and take things from there.

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He added ahead of Saturday’s match away in Croatia: “The next one, anyway, is just to score and win that game. I think just small targets for ourselves is the best way to do it. I feel like, obviously, there's plenty of tournaments coming, and it's just up to me to be up to the level to get picked and hopefully be starting games by the time the next tournament comes round.”

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