Attacking Midfielders
Jake Cain (on loan at Newport County)
- Position: AM
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
An elegant midfielder with an excellent eye for a pass, Cain has a lot of things to like about his game. He is relatively quick and, unusually for a stylish playmaker, he likes a tackle. Having spent the last two pre-seasons on tour with the first team and made several appearances on the bench, Cain will likely expect to feature in cup competitions and be a star player for the U23s. With Clarkson moving to Blackburn on loan (and not counting Elliott as a youth player), Cain is probably the best placed youth midfielder to pick up additional minutes.
James Balagizi
- Position: AM
- Age: 17
- Nationality: English
Balagizi will come as a surprise when most Liverpool fans finally get to see him. He stands at over six foot tall, is solidly built and perfectly capable of dominating games through pure physical prowess. However, he doesn’t rely on this and that really sets him apart from other prospects of a similar stature. The former Man City youngster has the quick feet and skillfulness of a player half his size and reminds me of the stories about Erling Haaland being tiny, learning how to play that way and then having a massive growth spurt. There is nothing more deceptive at youth level than a physically dominant player bullying those around him - it simply doesn’t translate into the first team and so it is exciting that Balagizi is more about his technical ability. He should be able to get into the U23 team this season but will be one of the best players in the U18s league should he begin the season there.
Thomas Hill
- Position: AM
- Age: 18
- Nationality: English
Hill suffered a horror injury in 2020 and is still working his way back to fitness. The athletic midfielder can play almost anywhere on the pitch and was highly impressive before his injury, contributing goals and assists on a weekly basis for the U18s. It remains to be seen what physical condition he will return in but hopefully we see him back to his best this coming year.
James McConnell
- Position: AM
- Age: 16
- Nationality: English
Brought in as an U15 from Sunderland, James McConnell is a goal scoring midfielder who impressed as an U16 player in 2020/21 even earning himself several promotions to the U18 squad across the season. The midfielder is versatile, also able to play out wide and in the central striker role but he will expect to be a regular in the centre of midfield at U18 level this coming year.
Fola Onanuga
- Position: AM
- Age: 15
- Nationality: English
England U15 international will spend the year in the U16s and can play as a centre forward.
Wingers
Mateusz Musialowski
- Position: LW
- Age: 17
- Nationality: Polish
Nicknamed the “Polish Messi” - presumably by people who have never seen either one of them play - Musialowski is a direct and powerful dribbler that defenders hate playing against. Lightening quick and full of goals, the winger can also play in a central role but starting out wide allows him the space to really get up to speed. He scored twelve goals for the U18 team last season and will expect to play most of his football at U23 level this campaign - although because of his age he will be able to drop down to the U18s for big matches such as the Youth Cup.
Luis Longstaff (on loan at Queen’s Park)
- Position: LW
- Age: 20
- Nationality: English
Former Newcastle winger Luis Longstaff joined Liverpool as a highly rated fourteen year old. He has all the technical and physical qualities of a prototype Premier League winger - he’s quick, strong, direct and skilful… and yet it seems like those talents never really come to the fore when he takes to the field. Having contributed only seven goals at U23 level in thirty-two appearances, Longstaff’s lack of end product looks to be holding him back from kicking on to another level. He spent some time in 2019 as a centre forward but that also did not result in any improved output. Likely to be overtaken by young prospects, Longstaff is probably allowed to leave should an offer come in.
Melkamu Frauendorf
- Position: LW
- Age: 17
- Nationality: German
German U18 international arrived at Liverpool with a little bit of hype and followed that up with impressive performances at U18 level in 20/21. It says something about the quality Liverpool had in the U18 team that a first year scholar getting seven goals from midfield barely seemed to register in the public perception with the likes of Musialowski receiving much more praise. Frauendorf will likely appear at both U18 and U23 level this year and is expected to become a leader within the younger age group.
Kaide Gordon - ONE TO WATCH
- Position: RW
- Age: 16
- Nationality: English
Having only joined Liverpool from Derby in February, Gordon has taken no time at all to make a big impact on Liverpool fans and Jurgen Klopp. The winger scored six times in eight appearances at U18 level and followed that up with a goal in a nineteen minute cameo against Leicester U23s in the final game of the season. The winger then was selected to go on the first team tour in Austria where he once again stood out against his more experienced peers. The England U17 international looks head and shoulders above other players his age and may be on the same accelerated track to first team football as Harvey Elliott was at the same age.
Jack Bearne
- Position: RW
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
Bearne was signed from Notts County in 2016 and has, at times, looked a talented player with an eye for goal but a series of unfortunate injuries has really delayed his development. Capable of playing in any of the forward roles, Bearne is quick and direct which gives him a real shot of developing into a useful player but his chances at Liverpool are extremely limited with the emergence of the likes of Kaide Gordon, Harvey Elliott and Mateusz Musialowski.
Max Woltman
- Position: RW
- Age: 18
- Nationality: English
Woltman is a pacey, undersized winger who can also play in the centre forward position. He lacks a little bit of the technical skill of other players in the same age bracket but he had a good year in 20/21 grabbing thirteen goals and seven assists although this was probably more a result of playing in a strong youth squad than a realistic reflection of his own ability. Woltman is a similar type of player to Bearne and will likely take many of his minutes off him this coming year.
Bobby Clark
- Position: RW
- Age: 16
- Nationality: English
The newest signing for Liverpool, Bobby Clark is an England U16 international who can play right across midfield. He made his debut for Newcastle U18s aged just fourteen and the playmaker, who is the son of former Newcastle midfielder Lee Clark, is expected to immediately challenge for a starting role at U18 level. Reports also suggest he has been earmarked for an accelerated push into the U23 set up.
Josh Davidson
- Position: RW
- Age: 16
- Nationality: English
England U16 winger who will have a rotational role for the U18s this year.
Forwards
Paul Glatzel (on loan to Tranmere Rovers)
- Position: CF
- Age: 20
- Nationality: German
Former German youth international was unfortunate in suffering a long term injury just as he was coming off the back of an excellent U18 campaign. He made a brief comeback last season, paying just 391 minutes but managed to record two goals and four assists in those limited outings. This year he has been sent on loan to Tranmere Rovers where he will continue to focus on his rehab and hopefully shine at League Two level. His chances of making it at Liverpool are probably gone, having missed almost two years of football, but he can still develop into a solid professional player.
Harvey Blair
- Position: CF
- Age: 17
- Nationality: English
The former Man Utd youth team player is a blindingly quick forward who was extremely impressive at the beginning of the 20/21 season before suffering a season ending injury. The striker is a versatile player capable of operating on either flank and, as he works his way back to fitness, will likely act as a back up in the U18s squad but I would expect that he will become a full time starter again by the new year.
Layton Stewart
- Position: CF
- Age: 18
- Nationality: English
Liverpool have been cautious with the development of Stewart. He spent much of last season in the U18 squad despite clearly being ready for a move to a more difficult challenge. The forward scored twenty-seven times in twenty-five appearances for the U18 team across two seasons and slowly progressed into the U23 squad. Stewart plays on the shoulder of the last defender and a typical ‘fox in the box’ type, not overly involved in build up play. He suffered an injury towards the end of the season and will start the year on the treatment table but when he returns he should be the first choice striker for the U23 team.
Fidel O’Rourke
- Position: CF
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
O’Rourke is sparsely used but is considered a leader within the group at both U18 and U23 level. He failed to find the net in twenty appearances last season, although in fairness he was often a very late substitute. O’Rourke is a classic ‘training ground’ player. His attitude and commitment encourage the best out of his teammates but his own prospects are likely away from the club.
Oakley Cannonier
- Position: CF
- Age: 17
- Nationality: English
The famous Origi ballboy. Oakley Cannonier is a former England U16 international who scored four times last season at U18 level and should have little trouble establishing himself as the first choice striker this year. He is quick and has intelligent movement putting him in the same kind of mould as Layton Stewart. With Stewart aging out of the U18s, Cannonier needs to take his opportunity this year with only one season of eligibility left before he hits the U23 team.
Tommy Pilling
- Position: CF
- Age: 16
- Nationality: English
Skinny centre forward Tommy Pilling made a few cameo appearances for the U18s in 20/21, getting himself an assist during a final day win over Derby. The striker can operate out wide or in midfield but will primarily be a backup in his first year for the U18s.
Iwan Roberts
- Position: CF
- Age: 16
- Nationality: Welsh
Wales U18 international Iwan Roberts is entering his first year at U18 level. The striker is capable of playing a variety of roles and will be a rotational option this season.
Ben Trueman
- Position: CF
- Age: 15
- Nationality: English
The England U15 international made headlines at just seven years old when he broke Michael Owen’s record after scoring 123 goals in 18 games.
Keyrol Figueroa
- Position: CF
- Age: 15
- Nationality: English
Son of former Wigan and Hull full back Maynor Figueroa, Keyrol has dual English and Hondoruan nationality. In 2019 the striker scored ninety goals in the U14s team and may be able to push himself into contention at U18 level this year.