LIVERPOOL boss Arne Slot approved of Ben Doak's decision to join Middlesbrough and told the winger he'd be an ideal fit on Teesside after being impressed by Michael Carrick's side.

Slot and Liverpool coaches sat down with Doak in the summer and helped the teenager weigh up his options, with a string of Championship clubs - and a couple in the Premier League - keen on taking the Anfield talent on loan for the season.

But after studying Boro and speaking to a couple of familiar faces in the dressing room, Doak says he knew the Riverside was the right place to continue his impressive development in what is his first loan move.

"I went on the pre-season tour with Liverpool, had a good time, got some minutes for the first time since my injury last year and I think I made a good impression before the injury so I had a few clubs with eyes on me," said Doak after scoring Boro's opening goal against Stoke in a hugely impressive full debut.

"The club helped me pick as well and I watched a few Boro games and I knew a few of the lads here.

"I didn’t think there was a much better place than the Boro, especially to be honest the amount they have the ball on the right-hand side and the team just naturally caters to my game.

"The club (Liverpool) helps you narrow it down, then you speak to the gaffers and then just pick the team that takes your fancy and Arne Slot obviously approved of the choice. He said Michael’s team play really good football, he’s got the team playing really well  and I thought today showed that."

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Liverpool have high hopes for Doak, who has played for the Reds in the Premier League and in Europe and had a huge fan in Jurgen Klopp.

So did he hear from his former boss after making the temporary switch to Boro?

"Er, no, I don't think he's got my number," Doak laughed.

"But I had some great times under him and some of the most memorable moments of my career so far came under Jurgen."

Klopp was previously very complimentary of Doak, saying it's "so much fun" to watch the flanker in action, while Liverpool captain Virgik van Dijk has also talked up the winger's potential. It's all very surreal for the Boro loanee.

"It is a strange feeling. it doesn’t even feel real, you don’t even react to it because you can’t even believe they’re saying it," he said.

"I guess it’s good to be that way because it keeps your feet on the ground."

Doak wants to star for Liverpool in the future but his immediate focus is building on his full debut and helping Boro achieve their goals this season.

He said: "I want to play as many games as possible, play as best I can and try get better.

"If I can help get the team high up the table, that’s they way it goes, if I don’t, that’s way it goes but I’ll come away with a lot of valuable experiences and I’m going to give my best this season and try be the best player I can.

"I can just take confidence from this game, keep working hard in training, keep doing what I do and hopefully the goals and assists will come naturally.

"It’s great to be in the starting XI, obviously it’s what you work for all your life, to be playing at a high level and starting games, hopefully my performances warrant more starts in the future.

"I can’t be complacent of course there’s a lot of good players champing at the bit on the bench so I just need to keep working hard and try to keep my place."