Liverpool might have their subsequent “diamond” cooking out on mortgage

Contract-related points might heap distress on the purple half of Merseyside subsequent summer season, however there’s greater than a preventing likelihood that, ought to that occur, will probably be within the wake of trophy-clinching success.

Liverpool have gotten off to a flyer beneath Arne Slot this season, 5 factors clear on the prime of the Premier League and first within the Champions League group section too. There’s a lot pleasure crackling round Anfield proper now, with followers giddy on the considered crowning a brand new period with the best of triumphs.

Ought to all or any of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk really be enjoying out their last marketing campaign at Liverpool, will probably be an enormous blow for sure. However, FSG, although they definitely have their shortcomings, have positioned the Reds in a providential place.

All the pieces factors towards a cemented place on the forefront of home and European soccer over the approaching years, and with kids equivalent to Ben Doak breaking by, such pointers may be on the cash.

Ben Doak’s affluent future

At present plying his soccer out on mortgage with Middlesbrough within the Championship, Doak is honing his craft away from Slot’s squad, but it surely seems just like the 18-year-old made the correct name, for he is starring beneath Michael Carrick and now impressing for the Scotland Males’s workforce too.

Having notched assists in each of his latest Championship matches – two within the latter – after scoring his first skilled objective earlier within the marketing campaign, Doak is certainly using the crest of a wave in the mean time, with former Scotland supervisor Craig Levein even claiming: “this child may very well be a world-class participant.”

Effusive phrases. However not with out substance. The short-framed Doak’s tempo and energy, his swivelling low centre of gravity, permit him to bypass stern opposition down the correct flank with ease.

He is burgeoning alright. However Doak is not the one Liverpool expertise making headway out on mortgage this season. After all, Giorgi Mamardashvili is again with Valencia for the marketing campaign after signing for Slot’s aspect in a deal value £29m in August, whereas Stefan Bajcetic is gaining invaluable expertise beneath Pep Lijnders at RB Salzburg in Austria. Keep watch over that one, for positive.

However what about Lewis Koumas? Lesser recognized, for sure, however nonetheless blessed with the pure properties and goalscoring eye to grow to be a Premier League star sooner or later.

Lewis Koumas may rival Doak at Liverpool

Koumas solely has one senior look for Liverpool, however then in fact he scored the opening objective in that one, serving to Jurgen Klopp’s youthful aspect by to the quarter-finals in opposition to Manchester United.

Although different Reds striplings have seen larger acclaim for his or her emphatic successes final season, Koumas proved from the offing that he has the putting sense to fit (ahem) proper into Liverpool life.

However Liverpool’s new Dutch head coach made some extent of trimming his first workforce of blubber this summer season, and up-and-coming stars equivalent to Koumas had been at all times going to be greatest served to sharpen these instruments at a floor that may supply common match motion.

A brief-term transfer away was at all times going to profit the dynamic younger ahead, and although Stoke Metropolis have struggled within the second tier for a lot of interminable years since being relegated from the Premier League, this appeared match for Koumas to take regular steps into the large time.

It is figuring out properly. The 19-year-old has began ten Championship matches and posted three objectives and two assists in all competitions, with Potters boss Steven Schumacher saying that “younger gamers are doing good for us” this time period.

Whereas Doak’s underlying knowledge reveals him to be a extra refined and full member of the Championship than his Liverpool teammate, Koumas is demonstrating a superior goalscoring edge, having bagged two objectives to Doak’s one, whereas additionally proving himself to be a veritable killer in entrance of objective for Liverpool’s improvement aspect.

Certainly, the Welsh expertise scored 28 objectives throughout 51 appearances for the Reds youth sides. Talking of nationality, like Doak, Koumas has not too long ago been blooded for his nation, making two appearances for Wales within the Nations League this autumn.

Let’s have a look at how these respective skills do over the approaching months. However whereas Doak had garnered a repute for producing high-level moments, it is simple to overlook about Koumas.

The Wales worldwide, who has been described as a “diamond” by Soccer Insider’s Wayne Versey, truly ranks among the many prime 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers within the Championship this time period for carries into the attacking penalty space (1.80) per 90, as per FBref, suggesting that, whereas much less of a ball-carrying winger than Doak, he nonetheless has the penetrative presence to reflect his Scottish peer.

Liverpool are making vital features beneath Slot’s wing, and are hoping for large issues come the top of the the 2024/25 season. However with such prodigious kids making headway of their very own elsewhere, it is certainly shaping as much as be an thrilling period forward for the Anfield aspect.