The Liverpool academy has been fertile ground for the first-team to supplement their ranks in recent years.
Although Arne Slot has faced some criticism for not promoting as much young talent as he potentially could have, the Dutchman has a number of exciting prospects at his disposal should he change that approach.
The likes of Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni are at the forefront of that, although they are far from being the only Liverpool academy players who have hope of playing for the senior team.
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Andrew Robertson of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Burnley and Liverpool at Turf Moor
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Josh Sonni-Lambie has been excelling for the U18s all season, and he was at it again as he hit a hat-trick against Burnley U18s on Saturday.
But though it was a brilliant afternoon for Sonni-Lambie, he was beaten to the headlines by 14-year-old Luca Eden, who became the youngest U18s goal scorer in Liverpool history.
Luca Eden off the mark for the U18s
Liverpool‘s U21s had a superb day last weekend as they thrashed Arsenal 7-0. This time, it was the U18s’ turn to hit seven as they put Burnley to the sword.
Sonni-Lambie’s three goals were added to by a La’more Lee Forrester double and a Josh Abe strike, before Eden stepped up to put the gloss on the day.
Luca Eden scores a penalty during Liverpool U18s win over Burnley at the Liverpool academy
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The 14-year-old scored a right-footed penalty to record a 7-1 win for Simon Wiles’ team.
A spot-kick it may have been, but the goal will do nothing to quieten the hype over Eden, who became the youngest player ever to feature for the U18s earlier this season.
While first-team involvement should be some way off, Arsenal’s decision to give 15-year-old Max Dowman meaningful minutes this season suggests it may well come sooner than expected for Eden.
Tottenham want a British transfer record for Micky van de Ven! Surely there are cheaper alternatives? 😵💫
Micky van de Ven in action for Tottenham Hotspur during their UEFA Champions League match against Slavia Prague at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
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What position does Eden play?
It is rare to see such a young player featuring above his age level for the Liverpool academy, and it is fair to deduce that Eden must be an exceptional talent to have made that step already.
Nevertheless, caution should always be exercised when hyping these teenagers, with so much that can potentially get in the way of their expected development.
As a 14-year-old, it is difficult to make many assumptions about what kind of player Eden could ultimately become. However, for the time being he is seemingly being used in midfield.
Liverpool will naturally be careful with his exposure, but the early signs are that this is a name to very much remember.
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