From three sons of ex-Premier League footballers to ‘the best kid in the building’… the EIGHT academy stars in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup-winning squad who can spearhead the post-Jurgen Klopp era

  • Liverpool had eight academy graduates on their bench for the Carabao Cup final
  • Mail Sport has tracked their individual journeys to the highest level
  • Chelsea were gutless to play for penalties. Liverpool have a cause, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are soulless – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast



Pictures of Liverpool’s stars walking up the famous Wembley steps after the Carabao Cup final resemble more of a queue of kids waiting for their school lunch rather than a collection of new heroes about to collect a medal after etching their name into folklore.

Five of the XI that finished the win over Chelsea were aged 21 or under, while only match-winner Virgil van Dijk would be guaranteed a place in Liverpool’s best team if all Jurgen Klopp had the rarely-seen luxury of a fully-fit squad.

So, let’s get to know the members of the Kindergarten Kop, from those who featured at the national stadium to the next on the production line set to play in Wednesday’s FA Cup clash with Southampton…

Liverpool has eight academy graduates in the squad on Sunday, with three other stars, including Trent Alexander-Arnold, injured
Reds manager Jurgen Klopp put his faith in youth at Wembley and it paid off handsomely

 

Harvey Elliott, 20 

Elliott is the most established of Liverpool’s young prospects, having been a part of the first team squad for a number of years. Despite being born in Chertsey, Surrey, Elliott grew up a Liverpool fan, but he was picked up by QPR’s academy initially after being knocked back by Chelsea due to concerns over his size.

He went on to join Fulham, making his senior debut as a 15-year-old in 2018, and did enough to convince Liverpool that he was one for the future. The Reds signed him for an undisclosed fee in 2019 just three months after his 16th birthday, and he has since made over 100 appearances for the club.

Elliott suffered an ankle dislocation-fracture in 2021 during a league clash with Leeds, and has had to remain patient at Anfield, largely due to Liverpool having Mohamed Salah playing on the right wing.

But he has adapted his game to play in a deeper role in midfield, and has flourished from the bench regularly this season. He ran himself to a standstill on Sunday, and at only 20, looks set to play a major role for Liverpool for years to come.

Harvey Elliott has established himself as a first team regular and is still only 20

Bobby Clark, 19

Described by one source close to the academy during a pre-season tour of Singapore as ‘the best kid in the building’ and would have played more this campaign but for injury. Just before his return, he was rewarded with a new contract at the club he joined from Newcastle in 2021.

His father, former Newcastle fan favourite Lee Clark, was instrumental in the teenager moving to Merseyside and taking him away from the Tyneside club and it is understood Liverpool rejected loan approaches from Derby and Bristol City in late January.

Clark is an energetic midfielder who has shown impressive goal-scoring traits at youth level. ‘The development of Bobby Clark… oops, that’s really crazy,’ said Klopp on Sunday. He is set to make his full debut against Southampton after seven substitute appearances this season.

Bobby Clark held his own against Chelsea’s expensively-assembled midfield
Clark is the son of former Newcastle, Sunderland and Fulham midfielder, Lee (pictured)

James McConnell, 19

Another poached from the North East as a kid, this time Sunderland. McConnell spent most of his development years as an attack-minded midfielder but has been moulded into a deep-lying No 6 by Klopp and Pep Lijnders this term.

Started his footballing life at Cramlington Juniors, the team who Alan Shearer and several other Premier League footballers have played for. 

A youth scout tells Mail Sport: ‘I’ll never forget the night I first saw him. I got straight on the phone, “Who is this lad? Is he in an academy yet?”.’

James McConnell came off the bench and shone in midfield during extra time on Sunday

Jarell Quansah, 21

Sunday’s Carabao Cup final marked a year since he was playing in League One for Bristol Rovers against Port Vale. 

Klopp has been astounded by the young defender’s progress this season, with Quansah playing 20 first-team games – firstly out of necessity but then on merit.

Warrington-born Quansah joined Liverpool aged five and has always towered over fellow kids. He is an old-school defender in a no-nonsense, commanding way but has a calmness and confidence on the ball that belies his age.

Jarell Quansah has made the step up to senior football look easy having been at Liverpool since he was five

Conor Bradley, 20 

A fairytale but also heartbreaking start to 2024 for the Northern Irishman, who got his break in the Liverpool team in January but also lost his father, Joe, after a long illness. 

Sunday was a proud day for his family, including mother Linda, as he starred in the final.

Bradley has an amateur referee in County Tyrone to thank partly for his stardom, after he recommended him to a youth club Dungannon Swifts, where he was spotted by Liverpool. He impressed in pre-season but a back injury saw him miss four months.

Conor Bradley has impressed ever since breaking into the first team this season
He had an intriguing battle with Ben Chilwell on Sunday, with the pair clashing in the first half

Jayden Danns, 18

Son of former Premier League midfielder Neil Danns, grandson of former Eurovision backing singer and champion skateboarder Neil Danns Sr. 

‘I loved him from the first second,’ said Klopp of the striker, who only joined first-team training at the turn of the year.

Like the kid he is, Danns is said to spend time in the garden working on his first touch, and scored in his first 11 games for the Under 18s this season. Missed a year of football with Osgood-Schlatter’s disease as he rapidly shot up from 5ft 2in to his lanky frame of 6ft now.

Jayden Danns looked bright during his cameo appearance off the bench at Wembley
He is the son of Neil Danns (pictured) who only retired from playing last year

Lewis Koumas, 18

You get the gist now… another Liverpool youngster with a famous dad – this time former Wales international Jason Koumas. 

His son has been endorsed by Welsh legend Gareth Bale on Instagram, too, which is not to be sniffed at.

Koumas, nicknamed ‘Louie’ by most, was originally a midfielder but has been moulded as a No 9 in recent months. The 18-year-old has been described as an ‘absolute nuisance’ by scouts and was poached from Tranmere in 2016… much to their anger.

Lewis Koumas did not play on Sunday, but made his Liverpool debut earlier this season
Koumas’s father, Jason (pictured), starred in the Premier League for West Brom

Trey Nyoni, 16  

Just 16 but the midfielder could make his debut this week after being signed from Leicester in the summer. He was spotted by head of academy recruitment Matt Newberry in a talent-spotting drive that is now much more locally-focused after Brexit rules on signing overseas kids.

Nyoni was born in England in 2007, two years after Liverpool won the 2005 Champions League in Istanbul, but has Zimbabwean descent. 

The Reds beat top clubs such as Manchester United to his signature and he is described as the best midfielder of his age group in England.

Trey Nyoni was also an unused substitute this weekend, but is closing in on making his debut

Kaide Gordon, 19

Hardly a new face after scoring in front of the Kop in the 2022 FA Cup but he has barely featured since due to a condition that is best described as growing pains, similar to Danns. 

The winger is one of five siblings which includes brother Kellan, a midfielder for Crawley Town.

He was signed from Derby’s academy after Liverpool’s hierarchy held long talks with the Rams and Gordon’s family, selling a vision to the first team. After playing in the Europa League at Union Saint-Gilloise this season, Gordon is likely to feature on Wednesday.

Kaide Gordon was not part of Sunday’s squad, but has already had some standout moments since his first team debut in 2022

Jay Spearing, 35

Yes, you read that right. Jay Spearing is an over-aged player-cum-coach for Liverpool’s Under 21s and is often seen patrolling the sidelines at academy matches, though he has played eight Premier League 2 games and three EFL Trophy clashes this season.

The Wallasey-born midfielder played 55 Liverpool games from 2008 to 2013 before a good career in the Football League with Bolton, Blackpool and others. 

This is partly a tongue-in-cheek addition to the list but, given injuries, fans are calling for him to be on the bench on Wednesday!

Jay Spearing is now 35, but might not be far away from the squad if Liverpool’s injury crisis gets any worse!

…And next off the production line

Watch out for Irish winger Trent Kane-Doherty, who is impressing academy staff, as well as Kieran Morrison and Cody Pennington. 

Stefan Bajcetic has been out for a number of months, but looks to have a bright future after impressing last season
Ben Doak is currently injured, but has caught the eye whenever he has played for Liverpool

Summer signing Amara Nallo looks like an accomplished defender, while there is plenty of talent out on loan, too. The future is bright.

And don’t forget winger Ben Doak, described as ‘like a Tasmanian devil’ by Van Dijk after a dazzling pre-season display at Preston in August, and Spanish midfielder Stefan Bajcetic. Both have missed much of this season with lengthy injuries.

Reference

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