Ex-Liverpool striker Stan Collymore thinks Trey Nyoni will be given opportunities to shine by manager Andoni Iraola.
The 19-year-old has impressed during pre-season, with many fans having taken note of his excellent use of the ball in the middle of the park. Speaking exclusively to Walk On (courtesy of 10bet), Collymore said Nyoni has a bright future ahead of him, although he thinks his minutes will need to be managed, much like Myles Lewis-Skelly at Arsenal:
“He ran the midfield in pre-season against Como – he’s an all-round good midfielder and a confident ball-player. Looking at modern academies across the English system, we are producing far more complete, well-rounded footballing profiles. They are given all the tactical tools, positional awareness, and clarity on their roles from a young age. From that perspective, he’s going to be a very intriguing player to monitor within the squad.”
“Does he walk straight into Liverpool’s starting XI for the next ten matches? No, I don’t think he does. You have to be exceptionally careful with young players. If you throw them in too early and they have one bad game, modern social media culture tears them down, which can severely impact their confidence and development trajectory.”
“Andoni Iraola will look at him as a quality “free hit” option who can be rotated in and out of the side. They will test him in the League Cup, the FA Cup, or late in European games when the result is already secured – much like Arsenal have managed Myles Lewis-Skelly. Supporters often ask why these teenagers aren’t playing 30 games a season, but patience is vital. When I played alongside Michael Owen or Robbie Fowler, young players were sheltered by a media landscape limited to newspapers and TV. Today, young players face real-time online scrutiny – one week they’re labelled the “GOAT,” and the next they’re written off.”
Nyoni may have a more prominent role if Jones leaves
The fact that Curtis Jones did not feature in either friendly against Como does raise questions about his long-term future at Anfield.
With the 25-year-old having less than a year left on his contract, and no sign of an extension, it does suggest that a sale is a strong possibility. Serie A champions Inter Milan have been pursuing him all summer, and it looks like he could make the move to Italy before the transfer window closes.
If Jones is offloaded and the Reds don’t recruit another midfielder, it would move Nyoni up the pecking order.
Iraola could be the perfect manager for the Liverpool star
During his time at Bournemouth, Andoni Iraola showed he could get the most out of young players. While the likes of Junior Kroupi, Rayan and Dean Huijsen all excelled under his guidance, the most pertinent example is Alex Scott.
The 22-year-old played in a deeper-lying midfield role last season, and he thrived as a result. It will be interesting to see if Iraola can unlock Nyoni as well.
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