From moving abroad to stepping onto the pitch with the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah, Billy Koumetio's story so far is an interesting one.

The 21-year-old Frenchman started out in his home country with Lyon and Orleans before heading to Liverpool in 2018.

He made his senior debut for the Reds during a Champions League tie against FC Midtjylland a couple of years later.

It must be rather intimidating for a youngster to enter a dressing room with the likes of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Allison, but any fears Koumetio had were quickly put to rest.

“They are a top, top team,” he said. “I went there young, I think I was 16 or 17 when I was on the bench for the first time against Arsenal.

“It is good to learn from them, have a target and see how the manager and staff are helping me improve.

“As soon as you get a chance, you give everything and you see the support. It is not about (rivalries) between players, I have never seen that at Liverpool.

“They take you on as their little brother, Virgil did it and showed me respect. The manager is like a father figure, he pushes you on.

“That is the mentality at Liverpool, it is like a family. All the young players who come up, you can see the impact the club has on them. I have enjoyed every single day with them.”

Koumetio’s focus is now firmly on Rovers as he aims to get valuable experience under his belt in the Championship and help Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side climb the table.

Lancashire Telegraph: Koumetio will spend the rest of the season at RoversKoumetio will spend the rest of the season at Rovers (Image: Rovers)

But days before his loan move to Ewood Park was completed, Anfield was rocked by the news that Jurgen Klopp will be stepping down at the end of the season.

“We were all surprised, to be honest,” he admitted. “I think the whole Premier League and people in different countries were surprised.

“We all know the impact he has had and I believe that everybody who watches football respects him. It was a big surprise and a big announcement for everyone.

“We hope that it is going to be a good season so that everything can be as perfect as it can be for his last year, and let’s see what happens.”

The 21-year-old, who can operate as a centre-back or full-back, spent the first half of the campaign on loan at USL Dunkerque. He also had a spell at Austria Vienna last season as part of his development.

Koumetio is now keen to contribute at Rovers but knows that the Championship is a demanding league, both physically and mentally.

One of the main things that stood out about English football following his move from France was the speed and intensity that the game is played at.

“The first day when I arrived at Liverpool, I saw what the speed of the game was like,” he recalled.

“Even from outside and just watching on TV, you can see the difference. When I spoke with some French players, they all say the same thing.

“When you are on the pitch in training or games, you definitely see how quick the game is and it requires a lot of focus.

“But when you train with those kinds of players and train with the team, you start to match the same speed and level.”

Koumetio added: “It is something that is very hard to gain and adapt to. When I was at Liverpool with the first team, my head was like, ‘Woah!’

“But day after day, you get into the rhythm and that speed gets into your game.”