Liverpool are reportedly keeping a very close eye on Fulham youngster Josh King.
And after looking at what the 19-year-old has been doing this season, I can understand exactly why.
King has suddenly become one of the most talked-about young players in the Premier League, with reports claiming that Liverpool, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund are all interested in the Fulham academy product.
The latest reports put his valuation at around €60m (£51m), although there is currently no formal Liverpool bid on the table and Fulham are not expected to sell him in January.
So this doesn’t look like a January transfer at this stage.
But it certainly looks like a player Liverpool are watching.
And I think he is a very interesting one.
Josh King is becoming a serious talent
King is only 19, but he’s already making a real impact in the Premier League.
Fulham’s own statistics currently show him with two Premier League goals and one assist, having played six league matches and 448 minutes this season.
That’s impressive enough.
But what interests me more is the way he plays.
King is primarily an attacking midfielder and is comfortable receiving the ball in tight areas.
He wants responsibility.
He wants the ball.
And he doesn’t appear frightened by the fact that he’s playing against much more experienced Premier League players.
That’s exactly the sort of mentality Liverpool should be looking for when they’re scouting young players.
Liverpool have already seen him up close
There is another reason this story caught my attention.
Liverpool have already faced King this season.
So this isn’t simply somebody they’ve discovered from watching clips or statistics.
Their recruitment team have been able to see him playing Premier League football at close quarters.
And that matters.
Liverpool have become increasingly aggressive when it comes to identifying young players before their value becomes completely ridiculous.
We’ve already seen it with Jérémy Jacquet.
We’ve seen it with Giovanni Leoni.
We’ve seen the club invest heavily in young talent while also trying to give those players a pathway into the first team.
King would fit that strategy.
But where would he actually fit at Liverpool?
That’s the obvious question.
Liverpool already have Florian Wirtz.
They have Dominik Szoboszlai.
They have Trey Nyoni developing.
They also have other young attacking players trying to break through.
So I’m not going to pretend King would walk into Iraola’s team.
He wouldn’t.
But that’s not necessarily the point.
Liverpool shouldn’t only be signing players for the starting XI today.
They should be thinking about what the squad could look like two or three years from now.
And that’s where King becomes interesting.
He’s still only 19.
If Liverpool genuinely believe he has the potential to become an elite Premier League attacking midfielder, paying a significant fee now could make more sense than waiting until he’s 21 or 22 and suddenly costs twice as much.
Fulham hold the cards
This is the difficult part.
King is contracted to Fulham until 2029, and the club have absolutely no need to sell him cheaply.
That’s why the reported £51m valuation doesn’t surprise me.
Fulham know what they’ve got.
And King is only going to become more valuable if he continues performing like this.
Reports currently suggest Fulham have no intention of letting him leave in January, meaning Liverpool would potentially have to wait until next summer.
For me, that’s probably sensible anyway.
Let the kid keep playing.
Let him develop.
Let Liverpool continue watching him.
Then make a decision when there’s a clearer picture of exactly how good he can become.
I can see why Liverpool would be interested
One thing I really like about Liverpool’s recruitment under this new era is the willingness to think ahead.
You don’t always need to buy the finished product.
Sometimes you buy the player who could become the finished product.
That’s clearly what Liverpool saw in Jacquet.
It’s what they are hoping with Leoni.
And it’s what makes the Josh King story interesting.
He’s already showing that he can handle senior football.
He’s already producing goals.
He’s already attracting attention from major clubs.
And he’s still only 19.
That’s a pretty attractive combination.
But I wouldn’t pay £51m just because he’s having a good season
This is where I’d be careful.
I’m interested.
I like the player.
I can understand the attraction.
But £51m is serious money for a 19-year-old.
Liverpool have to be absolutely convinced.
There is a difference between identifying a brilliant young player and deciding he’s worth that kind of investment.
And that’s why I wouldn’t get carried away by the headlines suggesting Liverpool are about to sign him.
At the moment, the evidence points more towards serious interest and monitoring than an imminent transfer. Liverpool themselves have reported the story as media speculation and stressed that it does not represent the club’s position.
That’s an important distinction.
Still, I’ll be watching this one
Because I have a feeling Josh King is going to be a name we hear a lot more about over the next year.
He’s already attracting Liverpool, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.
He’s already being valued at around £51m.
And he’s already showing that he isn’t intimidated by Premier League football.
If he keeps developing at the same rate, Fulham are going to have a serious battle on their hands to keep him.
And Liverpool?
Well, if their recruitment team genuinely believe King has the potential to become a top-level attacking midfielder, I wouldn’t be surprised if they keep watching very closely.
This isn’t necessarily a January transfer story.
Not yet, anyway.
But it could become a very interesting Liverpool transfer story by next summer.
And if Josh King continues doing what he’s doing at Fulham, that £51m valuation might not look quite so crazy in a year’s time.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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