I’ll be honest, when I look at the young players Liverpool have coming through, I get genuinely excited about what the next few years could bring.
And it isn’t just because of one or two names.
Liverpool have young talent coming through in almost every position, and some of these players are already giving us a glimpse of what they could become.
From Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni to Josh Abe, Will Wright and Samuel Martínez, there is plenty here for Liverpool supporters to get excited about.
Then you add Jérémy Jacquet, Giovanni Leoni, Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz to the picture, and it becomes even more interesting.
This isn’t simply a list of academy hopefuls.
It is a mixture of emerging prospects, young first-team players and footballers who could have a big part to play in Liverpool’s future.
The future looks red, and I like the look of it.
Rio Ngumoha is already showing what is possible
If there is one name on this list who has already made Liverpool fans sit up and take notice, it is Rio Ngumoha.
The winger’s rise has been remarkable. Liverpool’s official profile highlights his historic Premier League debut at Newcastle, where he scored a dramatic late winner, and his progress through the club’s youth teams into senior football.
What I like about Ngumoha is that he looks willing to take players on.
He wants the ball. He wants to attack defenders. He doesn’t seem frightened of making something happen.
That is exactly the sort of attitude supporters love to see.
Of course, he is still young and needs time to develop, but Liverpool have every reason to be excited about what he might become.
And he isn’t the only attacking prospect worth watching.
Will Wright has already experienced senior football with Salford City before joining Liverpool’s U21s, while Jayden Danns has been working towards establishing himself at the club.
Liverpool need young forwards who can eventually provide competition and depth for the first team.
The challenge is giving them the right opportunities without expecting too much too soon.
The midfield could be particularly exciting
Josh Abe, Trey Nyoni and Alvin Ayman are among the young midfielders on the list who will be worth following closely.
Nyoni is already a name Liverpool supporters know, and I am particularly interested in seeing how his game develops.
He has the opportunity to learn from established senior players while continuing to gain experience himself.
Abe is another exciting prospect, while Ayman offers another option as Liverpool look to develop talent for the years ahead.
Samuel Martínez also adds an attacking midfield option to the group.
What matters now is the pathway.
Liverpool can sign expensive players from elsewhere, but there is something special about seeing a youngster develop through the club and eventually make the first team his own.
Not every prospect will make it, and that is the reality of football.
But if even a couple of these players establish themselves at Anfield, Liverpool will have gained something valuable.
The defensive options look promising too
The defensive side of this list is just as interesting.
Jérémy Jacquet has already attracted considerable attention, and Liverpool will be hoping he continues to develop into a key figure at the back.
Giovanni Leoni is another young centre-back with considerable potential, while Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye represent further options to watch as they progress.
Then there is Milos Kerkez.
At 22, he is already further along in his career than the academy prospects, but he still has plenty of development ahead of him.
And that is an important distinction.
Liverpool’s future is not dependent entirely on youngsters making the jump from the academy. It also depends on young first-team players continuing to improve and becoming reliable performers over several seasons.
If Jacquet and Leoni develop as Liverpool hope, and Kerkez continues to grow into his role, the club could have some excellent defensive building blocks.
There is no guarantee, of course.
Potential only gets you so far. The hard work begins when players have to deliver consistently at senior level.
But the ingredients are there.
Florian Wirtz shows that the future is already here
Wirtz is the oldest player on this list, but at 23 he still has many years ahead of him.
And that is what makes this group so interesting.
Liverpool are not just waiting for the next generation to arrive. They already have young players in and around the first team who can shape what the club becomes over the next few seasons.
Wirtz has the ability to become a hugely influential player for Liverpool. Kerkez is still developing, while Jacquet and Leoni have the chance to grow into important defensive options.
The club’s job is to bring all that talent together.
It is one thing having a list of promising names.
It is another building a team in which those players can flourish.
That means giving them minutes, being patient when they make mistakes and making sure they are not rushed simply because supporters are excited about their potential.
Liverpool must get the balance right
This is where Andoni Iraola has an important role to play.
Liverpool need to remain competitive now, but they also need to keep developing the players who could form the core of the team in the years ahead.
That does not mean throwing every youngster into the starting XI.
Some will need loans. Others will benefit from cup appearances, training with the senior squad or carefully managed minutes.
The important thing is that there is a genuine pathway.
Ngumoha has already shown that young players can get opportunities at Liverpool. The next challenge is helping others take their own steps forward.
And there will be setbacks along the way.
Some players will develop faster than others. Some will need more time. Others might never quite reach the level expected of them.
That is normal.
But Liverpool should keep investing in the academy and give the best prospects a real chance to prove themselves.
The future really does look red
Look through this group again.
Ngumoha. Nyoni. Abe. Wright. Brughmans. Ndukwe. Ndiaye. Leoni. Ayman. N’Guessan. Danns. Jacquet. Kerkez. Wirtz.
There is plenty of potential here, with different ages, positions and stages of development.
I am not going to pretend every name will become a Liverpool regular. Football rarely works that way.
But I do think there is reason to be optimistic.
Liverpool have exciting young players to develop, young first-team footballers to build around and an opportunity to create a squad that can compete now while preparing for the future.
That is the balance every big club should be trying to achieve.
And as a Liverpool supporter, I would love to see more of these youngsters make the step up.
Because there is nothing quite like watching a young player come through the ranks, earn his opportunity and become part of the club’s story.
The future is not guaranteed.
But there is plenty of talent for Liverpool to work with.
And yes, the future looks red.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
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