Ranking Liverpool's 10 Brightest Youth Prospects
The arrival of Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager has continued the club's focus on nurturing their youth ranks, with the German taking up the initiative from his predecessor, Brendan Rodgers.
"When I am managing a club I think each young player should smile, because the door is wide open for him," he told Paul Wilson of the Guardian days after his arrival on Merseyside at the beginning of October. "He has the chance to do anything. I don’t care so much about experience, it can be important but it is not the main thing."
Instead, Klopp focusses on desire, commitment and character. But while a young player requires the right mentality to succeed in modern football, this must be paired with a high level of quality.
So, who stands out among Liverpool's youth at this stage?
Here, we assess every player at the club under the age of 21—or 23 for goalkeepers—and rank the top 10 in terms of their current ability, proven quality and a subjective projection of their potential ability.
Kicking off with a host of honourable mentions and ones to watch from the club's under-18 ranks, here are the brightest youth prospects at Liverpool today.
Honourable Mentions and Ones to Watch
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Honourable Mentions
- Ryan Kent
- Allan Rodrigues de Souza
- Ryan Fulton
- Harry Wilson
- Taiwo Awoniyi
Ones to Watch
- Adam Phillips
- Yan Dhanda
- Madger Gomes
- Brooks Lennon
- Bobby Adekanye
- Trent Alexander-Arnold
10. Danny Ward
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Age: 22
Position: Goalkeeper
First up in our top 10 is Wales international goalkeeper Danny Ward, who has spent much of the second half of the season warming the substitutes' bench for Klopp's first team.
Ward was recalled from a successful spell on loan with Aberdeen in January, having made 21 appearances in the Scottish Premier League and keeping 10 clean sheets.
This is a marker of Ward's quality as a strong, commanding goalkeeper with great reflexes.
Having supplanted Adam Bogdan as backup to Klopp's No. 1, Simon Mignolet, Ward is primed for a bright future on Merseyside—and will be hoping to feature for the first team in the near future.
9. Sergi Canos
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Age: 19
Position: Right Wing
While Ward returned to Liverpool in January, Spanish winger Sergi Canos saw his deal with Championship side Brentford get extended during the winter transfer window, having impressed in the first half of 2015/16.
The highlight of Canos' spell with the Bees so far was a remarkable goal during December's 2-1 away to Reading. Controlling a high ball with a deft touch, Canos evaded two markers before firing a powerful effort, with his weaker left foot, beyond Jonathan Bond to give Brentford the victory.
It is this blend of technical finesse and physical power that marks Canos out from fellow Liverpool under-21 attackers such as Ryan Kent and Harry Wilson. The 19-year-old is seemingly built for life in the Premier League.
8. Jordan Rossiter
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Age: 18
Position: Central Midfield
Struggling with a number of hamstring injuries this season, Jordan Rossiter has failed to establish himself under Klopp—but that should not deter the German, who currently presides over the youngster's expiring contract, as Rossiter is a hugely promising young midfielder.
Strong in the tackle and comfortable in possession, what is most striking about Rossiter is the 18-year-old's tactical intelligence, having shown in his four appearances for the first team this season that he is attuned with his team-mates' movements.
If Klopp takes a patient approach with Rossiter's development, he could welcome a hugely intelligent midfielder back into his ranks on his recovery.
7. Cameron Brannagan
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Age: 19
Position: Central Midfield
Moving ahead of Rossiter in the youth pecking order following the midfielder's injuries, Cameron Brannagan has earned the faith of Klopp in 2015/16, with the German rewarding him with a new long-term contract in October.
Making his first start for the club in October's 1-0 win at home to Bournemouth in the League Cup, Brannagan has gone on to make a further three starting appearances for the Reds this season.
Yet to suffer defeat when he has been named in Klopp's starting lineup, Brannagan has looked comfortable prowling the midfield, with his technical quality allowing him to link up well with his senior team-mates.
6. Pedro Chirivella
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Age: 18
Position: Central Midfield
Brannagan and Pedro Chirivella have enjoyed similar fortunes under Klopp so far this season, with the Spanish midfielder regularly lining up alongside the under-21 captain when called upon for the first team.
Furthermore, like Brannagan, Chirivella has recently signed a new long-term contract, telling the club's official website that "when I came here, I needed to perform really well because the club trusted me and I had to give them a reason why."
Chirivella has done so emphatically, with four impressive displays for the first team so far. While there is little to separate him and Brannagan in terms of output, the cultured No. 68 has promised a greater upside.
5. Jordon Ibe
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Age: 20
Position: Right Wing
The 2015/16 campaign has been a mixed one so far for Jordon Ibe, with the winger currently finding himself out of the first team despite Klopp's assertion to the Press Association (h/t This is Anfield) in February that he was lacking in wide options.
Despite this, Ibe remains a strong option for the future, with his stocky frame and quick feet providing him with the perfect platform to develop as a traditional winger on Merseyside.
Earlier in the season, Ibe showcased his ability to control games as a genuine match-winner, dominating throughout November's 1-0 win away to Rubin Kazan in the Europa League. It is this that he must strive for on a more consistent basis if he is to reach his potential under Klopp.
4. Sheyi Ojo
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Age: 18
Position: Left Wing
After a disappointing spell on loan with Wolverhampton Wanderers was cut short in January, Sheyi Ojo has knuckled down and imposed himself on both the first-team and under-21 squads at Liverpool.
The 18-year-old scored his first goal for the club in January's 3-0 win at home to Exeter City in the Reds' FA Cup third-round replay, cutting inside from the right flank to curl an exquisite effort into the top corner; it was a moment of pure brilliance that highlighted the significant potential in the former MK Dons man.
Over the past week, Ojo has scored a hat-trick in the under-21 squad's 3-2 win over Middlesbrough, was named on the bench for Liverpool's Europa League last-16 first-leg clash with Manchester United and then outshone Ibe back on the youth stage on Friday, driving the young Reds' attack in a 1-1 draw with United's under-21s.
Ojo is threatening to surpass Ibe in Klopp's reckoning on the flanks, and at two years his junior, this is a real marker of his quality.
3. Marko Grujic
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Age: 19
Position: Central Midfield
Klopp made a statement when he sanctioned a £5.1 million outlay to make Red Star Belgrade prospect Marko Grujic the first signing of his Liverpool reign—and arguably showed his belief in the young midfielder.
"The skills he has now have made him the player we wanted and now we can start working together. We think he will be good for the Premier League," the manager told Liverpool's official website on Grujic's arrival, before the Serbian was loaned back to Red Star for the rest of the campaign.
Set to secure the Serbian SuperLiga title this season, Grujic is playing a key role for Red Star manager Miodrag Bozovic, making 24 league appearances, scoring five goals and registering seven assists.
A 6'2" midfielder at his best in a box-to-box role, Grujic is primed to thrive in the physical environment of the Premier League, and Klopp's faith underlines his quality.
2. Joe Gomez
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Age: 18
Position: Central Defence
Suffering a season-ending ACL injury during the international break in October, Joe Gomez's dream first season at Liverpool was derailed, which left the former Charlton Athletic defender to occupy the club's Melwood training facility alongside Danny Ings.
This struck a deflating blow to the 18-year-old, who had already established himself as a regular starting option under Rodgers due to his pace, strength and composure—he is set to develop into a formidable ball-playing centre-back.
Fortunately, Gomez received the backing of Klopp after his injury, with the German telling reporters, including Sky Sports, that the youngster could "count the days" before his return.
He will no doubt return to play a key role under Klopp, owing to his current ability, his vast potential and the manager's faith in youth.
1. Divock Origi
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Age: 20
Position: Striker
After watching Divock Origi's excellent, defence-stretching performance in the lone striker's role in Liverpool's 3-0 win at home to Manchester City at the beginning of January, it was difficult to believe this is a 20-year-old in his first season in the Premier League.
Joining up with the Liverpool squad last summer, after a season spent on loan with Lille, Origi has slowly established himself as a regular under Klopp, with his blistering pace, high work rate and lofty, 6'1" frame pushing him ahead of Christian Benteke in the pecking order in attack.
Origi has scored five goals and laid on a further two in 24 appearances for the Reds this season, and while this is a relatively lowly output for a top-level striker, his displays against the likes of City show his quality.
Likely to remain ahead of Benteke for the rest of 2015/16, Origi clearly has the backing of Klopp—and it's clear to see why, as the Belgian is the brightest young prospect at Liverpool.
Statistics via Transfermarkt.co.uk.
