Liverpool have had to change their approach to academy recruitment in recent years, along with every other Premier League side, with Brexit transfer rules ensuring they could no longer sign players under the age of 18 from Europe.
Reports earlier this week claimed clubs are in talks with the Premier League to change such rules, with the current system currently under review. But regardless of whatever happens next on that front, the Reds have made the best of the situation, at least, when it comes to acquiring British talent instead.
Of course, Liverpool had plenty of time to plan for such changes, right down to making Stefan Bajcetic the last overseas Under-18s player snapped up before the new laws were implemented in January 2021, as a deal was completed at the last possible opportunity in a £224k deal from Celta Vigo in December 2020. Meanwhile, now scouring a market closer to home for the most promising homegrown talent, the Reds’ enforced change of tack would see them sign Kaide Gordon in a deal worth up to £3m from Derby County in February 2021 and part with up to £1.5m to bring in Bobby Clark from Newcastle United six months later.
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All three would make their senior Liverpool debuts before celebrating their 18th birthdays, with injuries elsewhere ensuring Bajcetic and Clark have made regular matchday squad appearances this season. If not for injury, Gordon would surely be sat alongside them having enjoyed his own taste of first team action last year.
Meanwhile, Ben Doak has been the name on everyone’s lips at the Reds academy after enjoying an impressive start to life at Liverpool following his £600k move from Celtic. The Scotland Under-21s international registered two goals and two assists from five appearances for the Under-18s as well as three goals and three assists from four appearances for the Under-19s in the UEFA Youth League, earning praise from Jurgen Klopp in the process.
With injuries in the first team and Under-21s earning him an early opportunity with Barry Lewtas’ side, he’d score off the bench in his only his second outing for the second string against Accrington Stanley in the Papa John’s Trophy in midweek, before marking his first start by scoring the winner against Everton Under-21s in Saturday’s mini-Merseyside derby. Keep up such form and he might not have to wait too long to follow in the footsteps of Gordon and Clark in earning senior recognition, having already played in an Old Firm derby for Celtic prior to his move to Anfield.
Yet the right-winner isn’t the only impressive starlet making a name for themselves in the academy this season with Trent Kone-Doherty continuing to impress for the Under-18s in Doak’s recent absence.
The 16-year-old joined the Reds from Derry City this summer, and while he hasn’t yet been handed a call-up by the Under-21s, seeing Doak much such a swift progression has only motivated him further. Meanwhile, he is thriving under the increased responsibility from being the young Reds’ go-to man in attack.
Already boasting four goals from six Under-18s Premier League North matches, the pacey left-winger took his tally to six goals from seven games against Stoke City on Saturday, netting a brace in Liverpool’s 3-2 win while also creating the opener for Jayden Danns.
A pacey winger who loves running at defenders, such traits were on display from the first whistle against the Potters, with Kone-Doherty beating a man with clever footwork as he cut inside from the left only to have a shot blocked inside the opening minutes.
Moments later, a second shot from the winger following similar on-field trickery would be spilled by the goalkeeper, gifting Danns the opener with a close-range header into an unguarded net.
Stoke levelled immediately afterwards, only for Kone-Doherty to restore the lead with an impressive individual effort as he turned his marker well in midfield before embarking on goal and drilling home into the bottom corner from range.
Finding themselves pegged back after the restart, Liverpool admittedly found themselves under the cosh as they temporarily struggled in windy conditions. But it soon became clear, if they were to win all three points, their best chance of victory was through Kone-Doherty.
A great individual run down the left was ended with ignored appeals for a penalty after he was pulled back in the box. "Ref, that's the reason people dive!" was the shout from an unimpressed Reds bench watching on.
Moments later, he’d cut inside and skip past three defenders before dragging a shot narrowly wide. But when Ranel Young was brought down after running onto Danns' through-ball, Kone-Doherty would be gifted his match-winning moments.
In truth, the teenager’s late penalty was poor and saved comfortably, yet he reacted quickest to convert the rebound. It won’t be his most memorable strike of the season, but it has enhanced his reputation as the Under-18s’ man of the moment, having already scored against both Manchester United and Man City earlier in the campaign.
There would still be time for him to threaten a hat-trick after pouncing on a defensive error and bursting into the box, only to be denied by a great last-ditch challenge which blocked his shot.
With Liverpool lacking a left-winger in the first team after selling Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich and losing both Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota to long-term injury, at least they don’t have such issues in the youth ranks.
In the same mould, you can already see why the Reds were so keen to snap up Kone-Doherty, who had made an unused substitute appearance for Derry City when still just a 15-year-old. On his day unplayable with defenders unable to cope with his mixture of pace and trickery, cutting in from the left, Saturday’s win over Stoke was the winger’s latest day to shine. Long may it continue.
With his eye for goal already on display too, Kone-Doherty admittedly still has work to do as he looks to progress through the Reds’ youth ranks. While an Under-21s call-up will perhaps be in mind, following in Doak’s footsteps, the FA Youth Cup will soon act as his latest stage along with the UEFA Youth League.
But so far, so good for the 16-year-old as Liverpool’s homegrown academy signings continue to shine. The Reds have had to adapt to shopping in a different market and while Premier League clubs could admittedly get Brexit transfer rules changed in the future, they can have no complaints about the business they've completed instead.
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