Liverpool are facing a fight to convince 15-year-old prodigy Josh Abe to commit to the club amid interest in the winger from both Chelsea and Arsenal.
Abe has made the step up from the U16s this season and is now a regular starter for Liverpool U18s despite only having turned 15 in July.
Yet to sign scholarship forms with the club due to his age, the youngster is now attracting interest from rival clubs including Chelsea and Arsenal.
The Mail‘s Lewis Steele has reported on Liverpool’s attempts to tie down a player who has been labelled “the best winger in the country at his age.”
Chelsea want to sign 2 Liverpool youngsters
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 19, 2024: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot (L) and Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
This Is Anfield understands Chelsea‘s interest in Abe is long-standing, with U16s striker Vincent Joseph in a similar situation.
One source has even suggested that at least one of the two are certain to join the Blues at the end of the current campaign.
Steele revealed that Chelsea‘s pursuit of Abe is viewed as a “revenge mission” following the deal which brought Rio Ngumoha to Liverpool and saw the club’s scouts banned from attending youth matches at Cobham.
The story around Abe is expected to drag on for a number of months with Arsenal, the club his father supports, also attempting to lure the right winger to London.
Why Liverpool want to keep Josh Abe
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 20, 2025: Liverpool's Joshua Abe during the U18 Premier League match between Liverpool FC Under-18's and Blackburn Rovers FC Under-18's at the Liverpool Academy. (Photo by Rafaella Mcintosh/Propaganda)
Liverpool will be desperate to ensure Abe’s future remains on Merseyside, such is the regard he is held in among coaches at the academy.
He has already made six appearances for the U18s so far this season, scoring two goals and two assists, with those four goal involvements coming in his last three games.
A strong, agile right winger, he excels taking on his full-back and driving into space, while his end product is improving rapidly.
After scoring one and assisting another in a 3-2 win over Man City a month ago, U18s head coach Simon Wiles explained how it was the type of challenge that will only aid Abe’s development.
“I think this type of game will give Josh a real experience of what the game can be like at times, as it can’t always be that he gets the ball all of the time every moment,” he explained.
“There was a lot of discipline around his performance I thought and I think this experience will help him going forwards in seeing a different side of the game.”