'Stood out': Journalist names the six 'most exciting' young players coming through the Liverpool academy
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Liverpool have done a brilliant job at revamping their academy over the last decade or so.
The Reds’ underage sides were often seen as lagging behind some of their Premier League rivals, with little talent ever emerging to the first-team.
However, following the success stories of Trent Alexander-Arnold and then Curtis Jones, the Liverpool academy has really stepped up its game.
Jurgen Klopp’s propensity for giving youngsters a chance in the senior Liverpool squad made a difference, but credit has to go to academy director Alex Inglethorpe and the likes of Barry Lewtas and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson who have done phenomenal work.
The result is that Liverpool now have youngsters coming through who can be genuine options for the first-team.
With that in mind, Merseyside based journalist James Pearce has highlighted six prospects who Liverpool fans should be getting excited about.
James Pearce names top six Liverpool prospects
As well as Alexander-Arnold and Jones, Arne Slot can count Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah as permanent members of his senior team.
Both defenders came through the academy, with Quansah at the club since the age of five.
This season has already seen a new name thrown into a matchday squad for Liverpool, with striker Ranel Young named on the bench for last month’s Carabao Cup win over Brighton.
And when asked by readers of The Athletic to named the ‘most exciting young players’ currently at Liverpool, Young was one whom Pearce name-checked.
READ MORE: ‘Outstanding’ Liverpool youngster shines for U21s after recent first-team involvement
“Trey Nyoni is the obvious answer,” begins the reporter. “He's 17, but the midfielder has already played twice for the club's senior side. He's so assured.
“I also really like Kieran Morrison, 18, who has been playing wide on the right for the under-21s and in the UEFA Youth League. He's quick, skilful and causes defenders a lot of problems. Liverpool have huge hopes for 16-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha, a high-profile signing from Chelsea's academy this summer.
“Two others who have stood out in the youth games I've watched are striker Ranel Young, 18, and right-back DJ Esdaille, 16,” Pearce adds. “I'm also looking forward to seeing Jayden Danns back in action after a stress fracture in his back. We all saw last season what the 18-year-old is capable of.”
Who is the closest to the first-team?
Obviously, a couple of the names Pearce mentions will already be very familiar to Liverpool supporters.
Nyoni has caught Slot’s eye since his arrival at the club and the 17-year-old is surely set for a bigger role at some stage over the next couple of years.
Danns is another with first-team involvement already, scoring two goals in five appearances under Klopp last season.
Ngumoha has also cause a stir since arriving from Chelsea over the summer. Ngumoha trained with the Liverpool first-team last week and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him take the next step in the near future.
In terms of the other three, only Morrison and Esdaille are yet to make a senior matchday squad. Morrison looks a real talent, though, while right-back Esdaille may have one eye on Alexander-Arnold’s situation.
