Liverpool are in talks to sign Austria Vienna centre-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe, according to The Athletic journalist James Pearce.
Liverpool’s director of global talent Matt Newberry and his team identified the 17-year-old sensation and plans to bring him to the Anfield club are underway.
The 6ft 5in Ndukwe would be recruited as part of Rob Page’s under-21s development squad initially as the Reds continue to strengthen at youth level.
However, he is viewed as a player capable of making the step up to the senior team given his huge potential and talent.
Liverpool are hoping a deal can be agreed for the teenager to move to England for the start of pre-season training in July.
Premier League clubs are unable to sign young players from overseas until after they have turned 18 due to Brexit, but it has not stopped the Reds from going after Ndukwe as he turns 18 in March.
The Austria youth international defender has yet to make his Austrian Bundesliga debut, but he has been named on Austria Vienna’s first-team bench this term.
Ndukwe captained Austria Vienna’s Under-16s and has been a regular at reserve team level for them since 2024-25.
He signed a three-year professional contract last June and is highly rated, leaving several big clubs impressed with his performances at Under-17s World Cup in Qatar in November.
He helped Austria reach the final of the tournament, where they lost 1-0 to Portugal.
Ndukwe was part of the team that handed Arsenal’s Under-21s a 4-1 defeat in pre-season back in July, and he could now be playing against them regularly in the coming months.
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