Liverpool are walking into a major squad-building issue this summer. With Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones touted for moves, homegrown quotas need to be met.
Per Premier League rules, in order for clubs to register a full 25-man squad of senior players, at least eight of those must be homegrown eligible.
To qualify as homegrown, a player must have been registered to a club in the English or Welsh FAs “for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).”
But with Gomez and Jones both entering the final year of their contracts and attracting interest, and Harvey Elliott expected to depart, Liverpool could be left with just six first-team players with homegrown status.
Liverpool FC Squad: 2026/27
Non-Homegrown (16)
Alexander Isak
Homegrown
* Players linked with a summer transfer exit.
Under-21s
Jeremy Jacquet
Mor Talla Ndiaye
Kieran Morrison
Those would be Freddie Woodman, Vitezslav Jaros, Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, along with James McConnell and Stefan Bajcetic, who are eligible from next season.
With no guarantee Jaros or McConnell even stay at the club, having spent the current campaign out on loan, Liverpool could struggle to name a full 25-man squad.
There are in-house solutions, of course, with a total of 21 homegrown-eligible players on the books, but few if any would be deemed capable of stepping up to the first team on a regular basis.
Liverpool Homegrown Players: 2026/27
Goalkeepers
Harvey Davies (22)
Fabian Mrozek (22)
Defenders
Isaac Mabaya (21)
Terence Miles (21)
Midfielders
Tommy Pilling (21)
Mo Salah and Andy Robertson have already announced their departures meaning, as it stands, Liverpool have 16 non-homegrown players to register for next season – including the returning loanee Kostas Tsimikas and the overlooked Calvin Ramsay.
Ramsay is almost certain to depart as is Federico Chiesa, while Alisson is considering his future and Alexis Mac Allister is also linked with an exit.
RULE UPDATE: Clubs are not required to register U21 players to their 25-man Premier League squad. For 2026/27, U21s will have been born on or after January 1, 2005.
The squad will be supplemented with under-21s, including summer signing Jeremy Jacquet and first-team regulars Giovanni Leoni, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha.
Attacking targets Yan Diomande, 19, and Bazoumana Toure, 20 would also fit the criteria.
But ahead of another summer of change, Liverpool will need to pursue homegrown talent in order to fill out their senior ranks.
Which homegrown players could Liverpool sign this summer?
England's Adam Wharton during an international friendly at St. James' Park, Newcastle. Picture date: Monday June 3, 2024. (Mike Egerton/PA)
One likely candidate is Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, who is widely reported as a target as Arne Slot seeks another addition to the engine room.
Tottenham youngster Archie Gray is of interest if the London club are relegated, and while he would initially be eligible for the U21s list he would qualify as homegrown from 2027/28.
While the ties are less concrete the likes of Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Jarrod Bowen and even Michael Olise have been speculated as attacking signings, as with Elliot Anderson in midfield.
Recent claims of interest in wantaway Man City goalkeeper James Trafford may have been swiftly dismissed, but though it seems a farfetched link it serves to highlight the avenues that will need to be explored – particularly if Alisson leaves.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, August 4, 2025: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott (L) celebrates with team-mate Curtis Jones after scoring his side's fourth goal during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Athletic Bilbao at Anfield. Liverpool won 4-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Clearly, much of Liverpool’s plans for the summer seem up in the air, with Champions League football not yet guaranteed for next season despite them being five points away from a top-five finish.
But beyond overarching decisions on the future of their head coach and even those in position to make those calls, the homegrown issue will need to be addressed this summer.
How Liverpool’s 2026/27 squad could look with potential signings & sales
Non-Homegrown (13/17)
(Available Slot)
(Available Slot)
Alexander Isak
(Available Slot)
(Available Slot)
Homegrown (8/8)
Adam Wharton
Under-21s
Jeremy Jacquet
Mor Talla Ndiaye
Yan Diomande
Kieran Morrison
Bazoumana Toure
Many fans would argue that the simplest solution would be ensuring Gomez, Jones and Elliott all stay as part of the first-team squad – and it is hard to disagree.
However, if that is not to be the case, Liverpool will have to look to the transfer market to fill that quota back up again for 2026/27 and beyond.
The Big Debate
Which homegrown signings should Liverpool prioritise this summer?
With Joe Gomez, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott all facing uncertain futures, Liverpool are walking into a homegrown quota crisis. While Adam Wharton is a primary target and Archie Gray remains of interest, the Reds must act decisively in the market to ensure they can name a full 25-man squad for next season.
Who would you like Liverpool to target to fill the homegrown quota? Have your say in the comments!