Liverpool scouts have been watching Australia’s highly-rated young centre-back, Lucas Herrington, who has already been the subject of a bid from Barcelona.
It has become clear that after last summer’s record signings, Liverpool are transitioning back to how they used to do business, buying young and for a relatively low fee.
Herrington is among the latest centre-backs to be linked, with the Reds already having recruited several young defenders over the last year.
Giovanni Leoni, Jeremy Jacquet, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe have all been brought into the club as part of Liverpool’s future planning.
While there is no suggestion that a move for Herrington is imminent, the Athletic report that “Liverpool sent scouts” to watch him this season.
If the Reds were to pursue Herrington, they would face competition.
The report added that Barcelona have already had a bid rejected for Herrington because it was below the valuation set by his club, Colorado Rapids.
We don’t have an exact figure of how much Herrington could cost, but journalist Tom Bogert says it is “reasonable to expect” Herrington to command a record fee for an MLS defender of over £5.8 million.
That £5.8m tag (plus add-ons and a sell-on clause) is the price for which Rapids sold then 24-year-old defender Moise Bombito to Nice in 2024.
Who is Lucas Herrington?
Player Profile: Lucas Herrington
At just 18 years old, Herrington is already a part of Australia’s World Cup squad despite only ever playing for Brisbane Roar and Colorado Rapids.
He hasn’t yet got on the pitch for Australia at this summer’s tournament, but that in no way diminishes the way in which he is being talked about as one of the world’s best defensive prospects.
After playing for various smaller clubs in his childhood, Herrington’s career really began when he joined Brisbane Roar’s academy in 2019.
Five years later, he made his first-team debut at Brisbane, for whom he played 29 times before being picked up by Colorado Rapids in MLS.
He moved to America in January and has already made 17 appearances, enough to see him called up for his country by manager Tony Popovic.
While it is only now that the wider footballing world will be noticing Herrington, he has long been touted for greatness within the Socceroos’ youth system.
In fact, he played for the country’s under-17 side at the age of 15.
Ex-Arsenal defender Rob Holding, who is now Herrington’s teammate at the Rapids, said: “He’s super composed, super relaxed on the ball, under pressure.
“He’s a really good player. He just keeps getting better and better each week.”
MLS writer and This Is Anfield contributor James Nalton actually named Herrington as one of eight young players to watch at the World Cup.
“The 18-year-old Aussie went straight into the starting lineup with MLS side Colorado Rapids after joining from Brisbane Roar for the 2026 season,” the journalist wrote for This Is Anfield.
“Under the Rapids’ English head coach Matt Wells, Herrington has emerged as a key part of their possession game and is second in the league for passes completed, boasting a pass success rate of 94 percent.
“His 6’3” frame makes him useful defensively too, especially in the air, although there is still room for improvement as is the case for any young defender, but the raw materials are there.
“Having initially aimed merely for a place in the squad, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him start for Australia at the World Cup, such has been his progress and adaptation to senior football.”
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