Report: Liverpool could be about to lose 'brilliant' youngster who staff once compared to Philippe Coutinho
01/28/2025 08:00 AM
Liverpool have one of the best academies in world football, with this January likely to see some prospects leave before the transfer window closes.
Stefan Bajcetic is close to joining Las Palmas on loan after a disastrous spell at RB Salzburg whilst Jayden Danns and James McConnell could both leave for the Championship on temporary transfers with a few days of the market left to go.
With Calvin Ramsay already heading to Kilmarnock on loan for the remainder of the season, there could be a flurry of activity from Liverpool before the window closes on Monday, with a number of youngsters primed to depart on loan for the rest of the year.
As well as loans, though, there is always a chance that a youngster could leave Liverpool’s academy for good, and that appears to be the case with one forward this week.
Liverpool talent Oakley Cannonier on trial at Leeds United
According to the Athletic, 20-year-old Liverpool youth star Oakley Cannonier is on trial at Leeds United, with the striker even featuring for the Whites’ U-21 side last night in their 2-1 Premier League 2 defeat against West Ham.
Cannonier was once likened by Liverpool staff to Philippe Coutinho with the forward showing throughout the years with the Reds that he can be a regular goalscorer, but despite this, the youngster is yet to make a professional appearance for the Anfield side.
| Oakley Cannonier’s Liverpool youth team stats | |
| Games played | 65 |
| Goals | 44 |
| Asssists | 5 |
Indeed, Cannonier was also lauded by Barry Lewtas as ‘brilliant’ with the versatile forward quite a threat for the Reds at youth level, with the striker playing in the same teams as first-team defender Jarrel Quansah and on-loan sensation Ben Doak.
Yet with Cannonier now on trial with Leeds and already featuring for the Yorkshire side’s U-21 side, there’s a real chance that the forward could make the move back to Elland Road, the club where the youngster started his career before moving to Liverpool in 2015.
Cannonier already has played a part in Liverpool’s history
It might seem weird to claim that Cannonier has already made Liverpool history despite never playing a single first-team minute for the Reds, but the 20-year-old has managed to do just that in the unlikeliest of ways.
Cannonier was the ballboy who allowed Trent Alexander-Arnold to execute a quickly-taken corner to allow Divock Origi to score his now famous Liverpool goal against FC Barcelona to put the Reds 4-0 up at to send Jurgen Klopp on his way to his first UEFA Champions League title.
The Liverpool academy star’s career might not unfold at Anfield, but Cannonier knows he has a special place in the hearts of every Red supporter having played his part in one of the most famous European nights even played out on Merseyside.
