An incredible heist is happening in football right now. Liverpool have to join in or they'll get left behind.
The transfer market is a mess right now and it has clubs panicking. Above all, it has virtually every major club pivoting towards the other trend in football right now - young players.
There was an incredible burst of talent 20-and-under talent last season, with Lamine Yamal obviously standing tall above the rest. He was far from alone, though.
And elite-level football is hoovering them up. It’s a grand heist on ‘smaller’ clubs, with a sensational amount of money being spent.
Real Madrid are pushing forward on a move for Yan Diomande after Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool tried. Carlos Espi has gone to Real Madrid after his own breakout season.
Bazoumana Touré has joined Newcastle United, while Johan Manzambi signed for Aston Villa. Both thrived in the Bundesliga last season.
Another who did just that? Luka Vuskovic, who has moved to Brighton from Tottenham Hotspur after his loan spell at Hamburg. Ayyoub Bouaddi is expected to join Manchester City for possibly nine figures thanks to his impressive World Cup.
Even more moves are expected this month. Eli Kroupi, Said El Mala and Matías Fernández-Pardo are heavily linked with new clubs. In fact, all three have been linked with Liverpool.
As has Kroupi’s teammate, Rayan. Actually, Liverpool have been linked with every single one of these players aside from Espi.
But they haven’t actually signed any, despite a genuine push for Diomande. That was the ‘big’ one, even if Liverpool didn’t pull it off.
They really shouldn’t give up, though. As mentioned, there are several more truly elite talents on the market right now and there’s a real chance that every player mentioned here eventually moves this summer.
Newcastle, in fact, are double-dipping. O Jogo reports that they're asking about Porto's Victor Froholdt, the standout teenage midfielder in Europe last season. Another player Liverpool have been linked with, in fact.
It’s a heist, yes, but one Liverpool will regret not getting involved in down the line. These players aren’t just ‘decent’ youngsters, after all, but 20-and-under players who made significant impacts last season, driving true value for their teams.
Liverpool will want some of that - and it’s time they did something about it.
