Liverpool have lost one of the most important players in their U21s squad this weekend after Trent Kone-Doherty left for Norwegian side Molde FK.
The Irishman has been in good form for Rob Page’s team this season, also earning himself a senior appearance in the Carabao Cup.
However, Kone-Doherty has joined joined Molde FK for a fee of around £650k as he seeks more first-team opportunities. As he departs mere months before the end of his Liverpool contract, are the Reds making a mistake in letting him leave?
Who should be Liverpool’s no.10 vs West Ham? Mac Allister over Szoboszlai? 🤔
Alexis Mac Allister during Arsenal v Liverpool - Premier League
Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Why Liverpool may have made a mistake
When Kone-Doherty joined Liverpool in 2022, he did so with a view to being promoted into the first-team. The Reds have been excellent at signing 16 and 17-year-olds in recent years and both Kone-Doherty and Ben Doak looked like good bets to make the senior side.
Doak ultimately shifted ahead of his Irish counterpart in the youth team standings, but that does not mean that Kone-Doherty was not impressing in his own right.
He immediately went about showing off his pace and direct approach to then U21s coach Barry Lewtas, who praised his adaptation to Liverpool in October 2022.
“Trent looks really dynamic, he can take players on, he combines well, he’s a wide attacking player who seems pretty fearless when he’s in one-v-one moments,” Lewtas said. “He can change direction, he’s direct.”
Trent Kone-Doherty in action for Liverpool U21s during their UEFA Youth League match against PSV Eindhoven at the AXA Training Centre
Photo by Annabel Lee-Ellis/Getty Images
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
Steadily progressing from the U18s to the U21s, the winger has consistently stood out in the UEFA Youth League – the youth team equivalent of the Champions League – and there was even an argument last year that Kone-Doherty was outshining Rio Ngumoha in the U21s.
He may be two years older than Ngumoha, but at 19 he is hardly an older player. With his contract ending this summer it is understandable that Kone-Doherty wanted first-team minutes and he is arguably ready for them, but if he had been just a little more patient that could still have come at Liverpool.
READ MORE: What Liverpool’s tie against Galatasaray really means for their Champions League chances
It was not going to arrive this or probably next season, but a loan move to a Championship or League One side would potentially have been better for his development than jetting off to the Norwegian league, with all due respect.
Kone-Doherty is now going to have to go through another period of adaptation, and there is no guarantee that that will go smoothly and result in a place in the team. At Liverpool he was on the right path to a good career in the English game. That may not have been with the Reds, but there would have been no harm in him hanging around a touch longer, securing a good loan and showing Arne Slot what he could do in men’s football.
Trent Kone-Doherty in action for Liverpool during their UEFA Youth League match against Galatasaray
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
In terms of a transfer fee, Liverpool have actually made a big return on the £150k or so they paid for Kone-Doherty in 2022, and it is an excellent piece of business considering he has such little time left on his contract. However, it only serves to show what his value could have been at full price a year or two down the line.
The case for letting him leave
While Kone-Doherty is a big talent, some would argue that it was already clear that he would not be making it to the first-team at Liverpool.
Ngumoha had already surpassed him, and with other youngsters such as Josh Abe coming through as well, Kone-Doherty may have missed whatever window of opportunity he had.
In terms of pure statistics, the Ireland U21 international has not hit the heights this season having failed to score in 14 Premier League 2 appearances. He does have five assists, but those are not numbers which indicate a future career as a Liverpool winger.
Liverpool have a last minute penalty to win this year’s Champions League final… who’s your taker?
This is a tough one!
Mohamed Salah stands with his hands on his hips during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Qarabag at Anfield (Credit: Getty Images/Justin Setterfield).
Dominik Szoboszlai raises an arm to the Anfield crowd in celebration as he holds the matchball during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid (Credit: Getty Images/Liverpool FC).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Justin Setterfield/Liverpool FC
For that reason, it may be in the player’s best interests that the Reds let him cut out the middle man and go and forge his own path in the game. Liverpool have been guilty of hanging onto youngsters for far too long at times, and Kone-Doherty is too talented to become another of those.
The verdict: Liverpool unlikely to rue Kone-Doherty sale
In short, it seemed unlikely that Kone-Doherty was destined for a permanent role in the senior squad at Liverpool. As a result, it may ultimately have been best for everybody for him to move on.
Nevertheless, Liverpool reportedly retain a buyback clause as well as a sell-on fee with the Irish youngster, indicating that they do feel there is a slight chance he could yet materialise into a winger worth pursuing again.
In the context of him having a few months left on his deal, Liverpool cannot argue with the terms of the deal, and the presence of a buyback means they could correct this ‘mistake’ and bring Kone-Doherty back.
For the young man now, his career starts in earnest. Taking to the Norwegian league is going to be a challenge and while there should be no pressure on him to start performing straight away, the fee is inside the top 20 biggest in Molde’s history. He will be expected to show why.
His Anfield stay may not have lived up to expectations when all is said and done, but don’t bet against Kone-Doherty excelling at his new club. Whether he does or not, however, Liverpool are unlikely to lose all that much sleep over this one.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox