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Klopp hands surprise Germany call-up to Hoffenheim's Conte

·By Paul Lindisfarne
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Klopp hands surprise Germany call-up to Hoffenheim's Conte

Liverpool/X.com

Jurgen Klopp wants to shake things up at the DFB, handing squad places to players who would not usually be considered under normal circumstances at all.

So it is with Bambasé Conté, who according to Bild has been called into the squad for the upcoming international break by the new head coach.

The 23-year-old returned to TSG Hoffenheim this summer after a successful loan season at SV Elversberg, and has featured in every one of the Kraichgau club's competitive matches so far this campaign, contributing three assists along the way.

Conté has been used in a variety of attacking roles for Hoffenheim this season, appearing on the right wing and as part of a front two, with the left-footer also capable of playing in the number ten role behind the strikers.

His versatility was also evident during his time at Elversberg last season, where he scored four goals and set up five more in 27 competitive appearances as the second-tier club pushed for promotion.

That loan spell, along with an earlier one at Karlsruher SC, formed part of a deliberate development path mapped out by Hoffenheim, who extended his contract long-term before sending him out on both occasions to build senior experience away from the Bundesliga.

Klopp's willingness to include players like Conté, who would not ordinarily have expected a call-up under previous regimes, reflects his stated intention to overhaul aspects of the national team setup since replacing Julian Nagelsmann in the wake of Germany's World Cup disappointment.

Whether Conté's inclusion in this expanded squad translates into an actual debut remains to be seen, but for a player who has spent much of his career out on loan building his game in the second tier, the call-up itself marks a significant step forward.

Born in SaarbrĂŒcken to a father from Guinea, ContĂ© progressed through Hoffenheim's academy after joining from 1. FC Kaiserslautern's youth setup, and has previously represented Germany at under-18 level.

His inclusion in Klopp's first squad, alongside a host of other uncapped or rarely-considered names, underlines the scale of the reset the new head coach appears determined to carry out as he begins the task of rebuilding the national team's fortunes.