It is looking like it may not be a busy summer in the transfer window for Liverpool. The European champions return to pre-season on July 6, having completed one signing in 17-year-old Dutch centre-back Sepp van den Berg from PEC Zwolle for £1.3million.
Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keïta and Xherdan Shaqiri were all brought into the club last summer after the arrival of Virgil van Dijk, but it seems Jürgen Klopp is happy with the squad he has.
There are plenty of bright young stars amongst the Reds' youth ranks, however, and Klopp will most likely introduce them over the course of the pre-season and use a few in the domestic competitions next season.
So, with Van den Berg now amongst the ranks, here are five others to keep a close eye on.
Yasser Larouci
The youngster joined the Liverpool youth set-up from Le Havre in 2017, which has produced the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Dimitri Payet and Paul Pogba. Larouci, 18, arrived at the club as a winger before being converted to a left-back by the Reds' Under-18s coach Barry Lewtas.
He had an eye-catching performance last season during Liverpool's FA Youth Cup victory over Manchester City, earning praise from Lewtas due to his pace and power, and could be given the opportunity to showcase his talents during pre-season.
Adam Lewis
The 19-year-old has impressed for the Reds' Under-23s side under Neil Critchley, and is being touted as a replacement for Alberto Moreno. Lewis can feature either at left-back or in midfield, so is therefore versatile, something which Klopp favours.
Liverpool are on the lookout for a new full-back to provide competition for Andy Robertson, and the scouser, who signed a new deal back in February, could be the perfect option.
Lewis appeared for England's Under-19 side in the European Championship finals last summer, and later went on to make his debut for the England Under-20s in September 2018.
Abdi Sharif
The 18-year-old has recently signed a new deal with the club and could form part of Klopp's plans for the upcoming season. He is a versatile player who can play in the middle of the park, at right-back and even at centre-back.
Born in Somalia but raised in Toxteth, Sharif was an important part of Lewtas' Under-18 side last season. He made his full Under-23s debut in January, going on to score his first goal at the level against Chelsea in April and was another to impress in the victory over Manchester City in the FA Youth Cup Final.
Ki-Jana Hoever
The 17-year-old, who joined the club from Ajax in September 2018, is the only one of five players on this list to have made a senior appearance. Hoever is expected to make the step up to the first team as back-up to Trent Alexander-Arnold next season, with Nathaniel Clyne expected to depart.
Hoever, who made his debut in the FA Cup third round clash against Wolves in January at the age of 16, has great calmness and ability on the ball. He starred for the Netherlands at this summer's successful Under-17s European Championship and is ready for more first-team action.
Rhian Brewster
Liverpool fans are desperate to see the 19-year-old striker be given the chance to shine in the upcoming campaign. Pre-season can't come soon enough for the youngster, as he looks to continue to be a part of Klopp's plans moving forward. With Daniel Sturridge having departed, the London-born teen must now be given the opportunity.
He previously netted eight goals for England's Under-17 side at the 2017 World Cup in India, winning the Golden Boot and Bronze Ball.
Brewster was on the books at Chelsea since the age of seven but chose Liverpool’s academy as a 15-year-old in 2015. He’s been at the club ever since and signed a professional contract in June 2018.
Source :
90min
