Mor Talla Ndiaye was part of Liverpool’s squad for the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace, with the 18-year-old centre-back just missing a place on the bench at Anfield.
Who is Mor Talla Ndiaye?
Full Name: El Hadji Mor Talla NdiayeAge: 18 (Jan 6, 2008)Height: 6’2″ (188cm)Birthplace: Senegal
Signed From: Amitie FCPosition: Centre-Back (L)Foot: LeftTransfer Fee: £1m (€1.2m)
Ndiaye was not among the substitutes for Saturday’s Premier League victory, but the new signing gained valuable experience as part of a senior matchday.
The teenager, who arrived from Senegalese side Amitie FC in January, trained with Arne Slot‘s side in the buildup before joining them at the team hotel pre-match and travelling as part of the squad at Anfield.
He was then among those sat behind the bench to watch a crucial victory as Liverpool push to finish as high as third in the season’s run-in.
While not involved on the pitch or even with the substitutes, it will give Ndiaye a taste of what could be in his future if he follows his trajectory after a move worth around £1 million.
The following day, he started as part of the Liverpool U21s side to host Palace at the AXA Training Centre in their round-of-16 playoff.
Unfortunately it ended in a penalty shootout defeat for Rob Page’s young Reds, with Armin Pecsi, Trey Nyoni and Will Wright also starting after being on the first-team bench on Saturday.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Monday, March 16, 2026: Liverpool's El Hadji Mor Talla Ndiaye during the Premier League 2 match between Manchester City FC Under-21's and Liverpool FC Under-21's at the Academy Stadium. Man City won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Ndiaye played 120 minutes in only his third official game for the club, having joined with an injury concern spotted in his medical.
He produced a strong display alongside Amara Nallo at centre-back, but with Palace edging the game on penalties after a 3-3 draw, his season may now be over early.
That could at least give Ndiaye and a number of others more opportunity to train and travel with the first team, particularly as there could be more call-ups to the senior squad in pre-season.
Why Mor Talla Ndiaye could be part of Liverpool pre-season
Slot will see the majority of his players return late after the World Cup, which means the start of pre-season will be dominated by fringe figures and youngsters.
The likes of Ndiaye, Wright, Nyoni, Nallo and U21s captain Kieran Morrison should be central to those early weeks at the AXA and could then earn a place on Liverpool’s tour of the United States.
It remains early days for Liverpool’s new centre-back signing – who will be joined by two more in the summer as Jeremy Jacquet joins from Rennes and Ifeanyi Ndukwe makes his move to the U21s from Austria Vienna.
But the experience of being around the first team on an Anfield matchday should motivate him going forward.
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