Liverpool FC are demonstrating their commitment to nurturing young talent in the post-Brexit era with their pursuit of 14-year-old defender Harvey Owen.
The club is reportedly prepared to shell out a significant sum of £800,000 to secure his services, highlighting their dedication to building a strong youth squad.
Liverpool’s Strategic Shift Towards Domestic Talent
With the new regulations preventing English clubs from signing players from outside the UK until they turn 18, Liverpool have shifted their focus to identifying and acquiring the most promising youngsters from England, Scotland, and beyond.
This approach has already seen them bring in talented prospects such as Kaide Gordon, Bobby Clark, and Ben Doak. Stefan Bajcetic was Liverpool’s final foreign signing for the academy.
The potential signing of Harvey Owen from Wolverhampton Wanderers, as reported by The Secret Scout, further emphasizes Liverpool’s commitment to investing in young talent. Despite his tender age, the club is willing to make a substantial investment, surpassing the £600,000 they paid for Ben Doak after his first-team debut for Celtic.
Yaya Toure’s Praise Fuels Owen’s Potential
Owen’s talent has garnered attention from an unexpected source – former Manchester City and Barcelona star Yaya Toure, now working at Tottenham Hotspur. Toure was impressed by Owen’s potential during a match between their respective youth teams, personally commending the young defender and predicting a bright future for him. Wes Hughes said,
“We recently played at Tottenham and he had a nice pat on the back from an ex-player in Yaya Toure.
He personally went up to Harvey and said that he had a lot of potential and would be a really good player in the future, so I think he’ll be really proud of that.”
Liverpool impressed with the potential of Harvey Owen
Wes Hughes, Owen’s coach at Wolves, praised the youngster’s abilities, highlighting his proficiency as a left-sided center-back. Owen joined the under-15s squad as a 13-year-old, contributing to their successful journey to the semi-finals of the youth cup. His teammates quickly embraced him, recognizing his potential and the impact he made despite his age. In his words,
“Harvey was introduced to the group last year as a 13-year-old playing in the under-15s youth cup.
The boys went on and did quite well in the competition and got to the semi-final – Harvey was a part of that journey and the boys really took to him as a younger player.”
He said back in October,
“He’s a right-footed player who likes to play on the left side at the back – whether that’s in a back three or a back four. He’s come on leaps and bounds in terms of his football.
We truly believe if he can overcome some difficulties and embrace some of the adversity, he can surprise a few.”
While the £800,000 price tag may seem steep for a player who hasn’t even reached 15 years of age, it exemplifies Liverpool’s commitment to bolstering their youth ranks. The club views the development of young players as a crucial pipeline for strengthening their senior squad in the long run.
If the transfer goes through, Owen is likely to join Liverpool’s under-16s team, allowing him to progress through the ranks steadily, despite the high expectations accompanying his price tag.
Liverpool are wasting no time in preparing for a transformative summer transfer window at Anfield. Manager Jurgen Klopp and club executives are determined to lay the foundation for future success by assembling a talented squad that will serve the club for years to come.
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