Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League last season without a trophy, and Arne Slot was removed as head coach on 30 May.
Andoni Iraola was appointed on a two-year contract on 4 June. The pressure on him to deliver is clear.
Liverpool are sixth in the Premier League after five games, with two wins, three draws and nine points. They opened their Champions League campaign with a 2–1 win over Atletico Madrid.
The club’s planning stretches beyond this season.
Liverpool appointed Julian Ward as sporting director to replace Richard Hughes, who left for Saudi club Al-Hilal.
The latest step involves a teenager still in the academy.
According to The Athletic’s James Pearce, Liverpool will look to tie midfielder Luca Eden down to a scholarship ahead of next season.
The club also wants to agree a pre-contract deal for his first professional contract. Eden can sign it when he turns 17 in March 2028.
Eden was born on 11 March 2011. He turns 16 in March 2027.
He has already set records for the club. He became the youngest player in Liverpool U18 history when he came off the bench against Manchester United in November, aged 14 years, eight months and 20 days.
Two months later, he became the club’s youngest U18 goalscorer, at 14 years and 319 days old. He won and converted a penalty in a 7–1 win over Burnley. Earlier this month, he also became the youngest-ever player to represent Liverpool’s U19s in the UEFA Youth League, when he was named in the starting against Atletico Madrid.
He also captained England’s U15 side towards the end of 2025.
Pearce has named Eden among the academy players most likely to break through. He said there are “high hopes” for him.
The club has already moved Eden up. He trained with the U21s in pre-season, with Iraola watching at the AXA Training Centre. Winger Josh Abe, also 15, was part of the same U21 group.
Luca Eden is expected to be a regular member of the U18 squad this season. Comparisons with Steven Gerrard have followed him, but he has not yet played for the first team.
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