Josh Abe sends timely reminder that Liverpool must choose their next new winger very carefully
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Josh Abe has had a big summer with Liverpool, despite not necessarily grasping his chance to impress during the pre-season tour of America.Though he has only just turned 16, there is huge excitement over Abe at Anfield, and the teenager would have been hoping to make an impression on Andoni Iraola as he assesses his wide forward options.While it was still a positive to feature twice for the first-team in the US, Abe may feel he could have done more with his opportunity, and with Liverpool remaining in talks to sign Bradley Barcola – and potentially Ibrahim Mbaye – his route to the senior squad is about to become a fair bit more complicated. How do you feel about Liverpool signing Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo on loan?
Nobody saw this coming! 🫨 Photo Credit: Getty Images/Pedro Salado On the evidence of what we saw out in America, Liverpool are right to bolster their options and consider Abe as a hopeful youngster for the time being.However, now back home on Merseyside, the 16-year-old scored on his first ever appearance for the Reds’ U21s on Saturday, to underline that whoever is brought in to bolster the forward line will be kept on their toes by his performances at Kirkby.Liverpool should be planning for Abe’s breakthroughHaving been handed a new contract – and the No. 40 shirt – by Liverpool earlier in the summer, it is clear that Abe is being prepped for a future in the first-team.Despite that, he is still only 16, leaving Liverpool with a dilemma over how best to handle his development.READ MORE: Liverpool can make three more signings after Ronald Araujo to complete perfect summer transfer windowIf they were well-stocked in wide areas right now that would not really be a problem, as they could simply let Abe progress at his own pace before bringing him into the fold slowly.However, the Reds badly need new options on the wing this summer, meaning they cannot wait for Abe.
They need some fresh blood immediately, and look likely to get it.Nevertheless, Abe scoring on his first taste of jumping up an age group should send a signal to Liverpool that they cannot block him entirely.Whoever comes in has to strike the balance between being an immediate upgrade, but not being a superstar who Abe could not find his way past.Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesAs Rio Ngumoha has shown over the past 12 months, any young player who is genuinely good enough will not be ignored at Liverpool, and Abe has looked like being the next one up for a little while now.But the Reds should still be wary of overloading themselves too much. If Liverpool have too many players in front of him, he will likely do what Ngumoha did while being frozen out at Chelsea, and look elsewhere.During the summer friendlies so far, it has looked as though that decision could still be a year or two away for Abe.Stepping up to U21s football as a 16-year-old is not easy, though, and now that he has cleared that hurdle after only one match, Liverpool have been given a timely reminder to keep him in mind when conducting the last of their summer business in the coming weeks.