Liverpool are expected to make new signings before the start of the new season, with Bradley Barcola at the centre of their transfer pursuit.
The club’s business this summer has not been limited to the first team.
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Away from the senior squad, Liverpool’s academy continues to develop the next generation of talent at the AXA Training Centre. That work produced fresh news on Thursday.
Liverpool announced that Lucas Clarke has signed his first professional contract. The 17-year-old defender put pen to paper at the club’s Kirkby base to commit his future to the Reds.
Clarke joined Liverpool from Manchester City in January 2025, arriving as a 16-year-old centre-back. He made his debut for the club’s U18s before that move was even complete, having featured as an U16 player during the 2024-25 season.
Clarke is left-footed and operates as a left-sided centre-back. He began the 2025-26 season as a first-year scholar with Liverpool’s U18s squad.
Clarke has already gained experience at a higher level this season. He has featured for Liverpool’s U19s in the UEFA Youth League, appearing against Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray, Eintracht Frankfurt, Inter Milan and Zilina.
His move to Liverpool in January 2025 followed a pattern of the club recruiting highly rated academy prospects from rival clubs. Rio Ngumoha had joined from Chelsea the previous summer, while Ben Doak arrived from Celtic in 2022 before being sold to Bournemouth for £25 million.
Signing his first professional deal marks a formal step up for Clarke within Liverpool’s academy structure. It ties him to the club on senior terms for the first time, moving him beyond his initial scholarship terms.
Liverpool academy has a recent track record of producing first-team players and Andoni Iraola will hope to have a pool of talents from the club. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley and Curtis Jones have all made appearances for the senior side after progressing through the same pathway.