Liverpool are set to see plenty of their most promising young players take to the field next week as they face Barnsley in the FA Cup.
The third round of the cup has often been an occasion for youngsters to be given their chance for the Reds, and that is very likely to continue at Anfield.
Given the injury situation he is currently dealing with, Arne Slot has little choice but to field talents from the Liverpool academy, and there will be hope that one or two can go on to feature more regularly for the first-team.
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The game will unfortunately come too soon for two exciting players who are set to join Liverpool‘s youth set up this January.
Ifeanyi Ndukwe will arrive from Austria Vienna next summer, while fellow centre-back Talla Ndiaye is reportedly due to sign for the Reds more imminently. Although neither will be in Monday’s squad, Liverpool seem to believe they will be making their senior debuts at some stage in the not too distant future.
Liverpool have high hopes for centre-back pair
While it is clear that Liverpool could do with a senior centre-back to help them in the more immediate future, there is excitement to be had over both Ndukwe and Ndiaye.
According to reporter David Lynch, Liverpool believe the youngsters are two of the best talents on the planet after watching them during the recent U17s World Cup.
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“Both were watched during the tournament in Qatar by Liverpool’s Matt Newberry, who took on the role of head of global talent just over a year ago having previously served as director of loans and pathways,” Lynch writes on his Substack.
“His remit is to find the best young players in the world, a standard the aforementioned pair [Ndukwe and Ndiaye] are believed to live up to.”
Lynch also touches on a potential move for 15-year-old Celtic defender Dara Jikiemi, but claims that the Scottish side are currently unhappy with their proposed compensation for the youngster. As a result, Jikiemi’s move to Liverpool reportedly ‘hangs in the balance.’
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Meanwhile, Liverpool’s signing of Noah Adekoya from Burnley is said to be more as a way of bolstering the U21s for the time being.
Will Talla Ndiaye make his debut this season?
Clearly, Liverpool fans should not expect to see Ndukwe until at least next season. But with Ndiaye due to arrive in the coming weeks, there is a chance he could be involved in the first-team during this campaign.
If the Reds do not make a senior January signing – and that looks likely for the time being – they remain desperately short at centre-back.
Should Ndiaye arrive and be as good as Liverpool think he can be, then he will not be a million miles away from the first-team.
It would take two or three injuries to get him involved, but if the Reds go far into the FA Cup, for example, the Senegalese could end up making his debut.
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