Liverpool have had a difficult season so far and have been making up for lost time in their more recent Premier League fixtures, however, it could be too little too late for the Merseyside giants.
The Reds are six points adrift of the Champions League qualifying spots inside the top four and have squandered all their chances to add another trophy to their illustrious collection since the turn of the year, so it is safe to say it has been a season Jurgen Klopp will be happy to write off when the whistle blows on the final day.
Due to the inconsistencies and poor form shown over the last nine months, it has become increasingly obvious that Liverpool are in dire need of reinforcements in key areas of the pitch, with the club’s hierarchy expected to make moves in the summer transfer window.
However, the Anfield faithful will be under no illusions that their American owners will join the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United in splashing the cash to fix their problems and will instead continue to work within their strict financial structure searching for unearthed diamonds across Europe and beyond.
Indeed, there is no denying that Liverpool have been super successful in recruiting frivolously since the arrival of Klopp and in more recent times have looked to young players like Stefan Bajcetic to fill the gaps where injuries have plagued the squad, which has paid off a great deal.
Now the club could be set to unearth their next breakthrough star, who could be the second coming of Harvey Elliott if he can prove to the German coach that he is worthy of a regular spot in the first-team squad next season, with Ben Doak flourishing at youth level.
Who is Ben Doak?
The talented teenager joined the Reds from Celtic in the summer of last year and has been polishing his skills in the U21s set-up ever since, earning sporadic opportunities in the first team.
Doak was handed his Premier League debut on Boxing Day 2022 in the victory over Aston Villa, which was quickly followed up with an FA Cup debut just a few weeks later against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Over his 26 appearances in the youth teams, the 17-year-old talent has scored 11 goals and registered eight assists operating either on the right wing or on the right side of midfield, two positions his peer Elliott is prolific in.
Liverpool legend Phil Thompson spoke out about the youngster during a pundit tour on Wednesday evening at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall:
“What do I think of Ben Doak? Oh my goodness! What a player! I have done quite a few of the youth games for LFC TV and every time I have seen him he has been outstanding.
“One of the great things about Ben is that he just loves football. He has got a wonderful attitude. But he is aggressive and for a forward that is a great attribute to have. He has also got unbelievable pace, he can provide assists and he has got goals in him.”
“You just look at him and think: ‘Wow!’ He has had such a rapid rise to fame this season. He has played in the first team this season, which is quite astonishing. I just hope he has got a nice feel for it because he is a tremendous talent.”
It will be interesting to see whether Doak has done enough over this campaign to stake a claim to be in contention for first-team football on Merseyside next season and whether he will feature in the pre-season tour when the Reds break from Premier League football in the summer.
The future is certainly looking bright for Doak at Liverpool and if he can continue to impress Klopp, there is no reason why he won’t follow in the footsteps of both Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajcetic when his opportunity comes around.
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