FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Wednesday, October 22, 2025: Liverpool's Oliver O'Connor celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during the UEFA Youth League match between Eintracht Frankfurt Under-19's and Liverpool FC Under-19's at Sportpark Dreieich. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Wednesday, October 22, 2025: Liverpool's Oliver O'Connor celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during the UEFA Youth League match between Eintracht Frankfurt Under-19's and Liverpool FC Under-19's at Sportpark Dreieich. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool have tied talented Scouse midfielder Oliver O’Connor to a professional contract, with the 18-year-old switching agents to negotiate his future.
With O’Connor seeing his scholarship terms expire those summer and agreeing new representation with Roc Nation, there appeared a chance he would leave Liverpool.
That would have been a blow to the academy setup, with the local-born midfielder impressing out of position last season as right-back for the U18s.
But Liverpool have now announced a first professional contract for O’Connor ahead of an expected step up to the U21s squad this season.
Oliver O’Connor has signed his first professional contract with the Reds ??? pic.twitter.com/QMFylWr4w1
— The LFC Academy (@LFCAcademyX) July 16, 2026
O’Connor is believed to have signed an initial two-year deal which will allow the club to assess his progress over the coming campaigns before deciding on any next steps.
The hope will be that the teenager can follow the trajectory mapped out for him at a time when Liverpool’s first team are lacking in local presence.
With Curtis Jones entering the final year of his contract and attracting bids from Inter Milan, along with doubts over Jayden Danns‘ fitness and immediate future, there could soon be no Scouser in the senior squad for the first time ever.
There will be no pressure on O’Connor to step into that breach, of course, and he was not among the U21s players called up to pre-season training under Andoni Iraola earlier this week.
FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Wednesday, October 22, 2025: Liverpool's Oliver O'Connor celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during the UEFA Youth League match between Eintracht Frankfurt Under-19's and Liverpool FC Under-19's at Sportpark Dreieich. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Wednesday, October 22, 2025: Liverpool's Oliver O'Connor celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during the UEFA Youth League match between Eintracht Frankfurt Under-19's and Liverpool FC Under-19's at Sportpark Dreieich. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Nonetheless it is a major positive for both player and club to finalise this new contract, which is the latest in a long line of renewals this summer.
Along with 15-year-old Josh Abe agreeing scholarship terms, the likes of Matty Wright, Prince Kobe Cisse, Lucas Pitt, Ben Trueman, Kyle Kelly, Fola Onanuga and Keyrol Figueroa have all put pen to paper.
At senior level, Dominik Szoboszlai‘s new five-year contract was confirmed on Friday, while Rio Ngumoha could be among the next to sign extended terms.
O’Connor made 27 appearances in all competitions for the U18s last season, scoring four goals, with the youngster largely trusted at right-back but also deployed as a left-back, deep-lying midfielder and No. 10.
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