5 young players to watch out for in Liverpool pre-season

Arne Slot is at the helm and preparing for his first pre-season tour as Liverpool manager.

The Reds are heading over to the United States to get their preparations for the 2024/25 campaign underway, and with several big names returning late from international action, there could be opportunities for a handful of young players.

Here are five youngsters to keep an eye out for.

Amara Nallo

Age: 17
Position: Centre-back

Liverpool lured the towering Amaro Nallo over from West Ham United last summer and quickly installed him in the defence of their Under-21 team, despite the fact he only turned 17 in November.

Blessed with the physical tools needed to compete against older players, Nallo has the potential to help out in a problem area this summer. Joel Matip's exit has opened the space for a new centre-back, and while Sepp van den Berg currently looks primed for a chance to claim that position, the Dutchman's public frustration towards his situation at Anfield could lead to an exit at any given moment.

Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez all enjoyed deep runs in Euro 2024 and will not be at full freshness when they return, potentially opening the door for Nallo to see some minutes.

Trey Nyoni

Age: 17
Position: Midfield

Another new recruit, Trey Nyoni wasted little time making an impact following his move from Leicester City last summer.

The attacking midfielder, who only turned 17 in June, made his senior debut in the FA Cup fifth round victory over Southampton and went unused on the bench for a handful of games under Jurgen Klopp, including for two Premier League games.

Nyoni brings a great eye for a pass and, while a regular senior role is likely beyond his grasp this season, he's absolutely one to watch for the future.

Harvey Blair

Age: 20
Position: Winger

By all accounts, Slot has already taken a liking to Harvey Blair, who has been a near-permanent feature in senior training while other youngsters have been in and out of the group.

Blair made his senior debut back in October 2021 - a sign of the potential which was spotted in him early on - but has accepted a steady rise over the past few years. He scored plenty of goals at Under-18 level and ended the 2022/23 campaign in strong form before a nasty knee injury derailed things.

Now trying to make up for lost time, Blair is reported to have made an impression on Slot, so don't be surprised to see the 20-year-old in action this summer.

Jayden Danns

Age: 18
Position: Striker

Liverpool fans should already be familiar with Jayden Danns.

One of the young heroes from the Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea, Danns scored twice in an FA Cup triumph over Southampton last season to firmly announce his arrival on to the main stage.

Striker is an uncertain area for Liverpool. Slot is yet to give his verdict on the unpredictable Darwin Nunez, while Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota are perhaps better suited for roles out wide. If Slot wants an out-and-out goalscorer, he should look at Danns.

Lewis Koumas

Age: 18
Position: Winger

Danns' double against Southampton stole the headlines away from winger Lewis Koumas, who actually opened the scoring that day on his senior debut.

With only 63 minutes of senior action to his name, Koumas was given his first two outings for the Wales national team this summer as a clear sign that his current level is high enough to take seriously in senior football already.

Koumas is comfortable as a central striker but does his best work out on the left wing. Competition for minutes in that position is intense in Slot's squad, but Koumas is good enough to make the most of whatever opportunities come his way.

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