Liverpool are reportedly planning to pay up to £800,000 to sign a 14-year-old defender as part of their ongoing post-Brexit youth recruitment campaign across the UK.
After Brexit took effect, English clubs were no longer permitted to sign players from outside the UK before they turned 18.
Stefan Bajcetic was Liverpool’s final foreign acquisition for the academy, with attention now shifting to the top young players from England, Scotland, and other countries.
Since the rules were altered, players like Kaide Gordon, Bobby Clark, and Ben Doak have all been recruited, and this summer is expected to see more of the same.
Liverpool are expected to sign 14-year-old Harvey Owen from Wolves in addition to their interest in Irish striker Mason Melia, who scored on his St. Patrick’s Athletic debut in January.
The Secret Scout claims that because Wolves had already extended Owen pre-scholarship terms, this will cost a lofty sum of £800,000.
The club only paid £600,000 for Doak after he made his Celtic first-team debut, so it is a sizable investment for a player who is not even 15 years old.
That said, it demonstrates Liverpool’s dedication to bolstering their youth program, which is still regarded as a valuable source for the senior team.
As Wolves academy coach Wes Hughes stated to the club’s official website in October, Yaya Toure, who is currently employed by Tottenham, is backing Owen.
Hughes said, “We recently played at Tottenham and he had a nice pat on the back from an ex-player in Yaya Toure.
“He personally went up to Harvey and told him that he had a lot of potential and would be a really good player in the future, so I think he’ll be really proud of that,” the source said.
Hughes continued by describing Owen’s skill as a player, noting that the young man is presently most at ease playing left-sided center-back.
“Harvey was first introduced to the group the previous year while competing in the under-15s youth cup at the age of 13.
“The boys continued to perform admirably in the competition and advanced to the semifinal; Harvey was a part of that journey, and the boys really warmed up to him as a younger player.
“He is a right-footed player who prefers to play on the left side of the defense, whether in a back three or a back four.
“In terms of his football, he’s improved greatly.
“We genuinely think he can surprise a few people if he can get over some obstacles and embrace some of the adversity.”
In spite of the £800,000 price tag, Owen would probably join Liverpool as an under-16 player and advance through the ranks gradually.
