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The tour of the United States offers an ideal chance for Liverpool youngsters to impress new head coach Arne Slot

Sport

Ian Doyle Chief Liverpool FC Writer

13:20, 24 Jul 2024



Kaide Gordon and Harvey Blair of Liverpool arriving in Pittsburgh for the start of the US tour on July 23 2024(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

There may not have been much transfer business for Liverpool so far this summer, but a number of their former players have been on the move.

And one deal in particular caught the eye this week.

Ben Woodburn, who as recently as two years ago was still on the books at Anfield, on Tuesday signed a two-year contract with League Two side Salford City to link up again with their boss Karl Robinson, who he had worked with during a loan spell at Oxford United.

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Woodburn had spent the last two seasons at Championship side Preston North End having moved there on a free transfer from Liverpool in the summer of 2022.

However, it had been a full four years at that point since the player had appeared for the Reds' first team, and even that was a brief run-out from the bench on the final day of the 2017/18 campaign.

READ MORE:What Liverpool squad for United States tour says about Arne Slot transfer plansREAD MORE:Ryan Reynolds sends Mohamed Salah transfer message as Liverpool get new celebrity fan

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And his difficult experience in recent years should act as a reminder to Liverpool's current crop of youngsters that breaking into the Reds first team involves more than just being handed a debut opportunity.

Woodburn, of course, was one of the early beneficiaries of former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp's faith in the Academy when, three days after his debut as a substitute in the Premier League win over Sunderland, he against stepped off the bench in the League Cup win over Leeds United and became the youngest goalscorer in club history at 17 years and 45 days, snatching the record previously held by Michael Owen.

It turned out to be his only goal for the club, the player going on to make just another 10 appearances for Liverpool before a loan odyssey that ended with him running down his contract.

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Woodburn, who had been with the Reds since the age of eight, was one of 42 Academy graduates to be given a first-team chance under Klopp.

But the likes of Tyler Morton, Ben Doak, James McConnell, Owen Beck, Luke Chambers and Harvey Blair - all of whom have already featured for the senior Liverpool side - will be hoping for minutes in the forthcoming games against Real Betis, Arsenal and Manchester United.

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It's telling that of the 20 Academy players given a first-team debut by Liverpool in the last three years, only five - Conor Bradley, Clark, Doak, Stefan Bajcetic and Jarell Quansah - have thus far reached double figures in terms of appearances.

Gordon, Doak and Bajcetic are all aware of the problems that youngsters can face after breaking into the first team at a young age, all three subsequently hampered by serious injury.

This summer offers a chance for all three to reaffirm what propelled them into the senior reckoning in the first place.

With the Liverpool's international tournament contingent now starting link up with the squad - Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota should in theory be the next in line - soon openings for the youngsters will once again be at a premium.

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The tour, then, is a time for them to shine - and show to Slot they can be more than just a trivia aside regards Liverpool's history.


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