Liverpool have announced their training squad for their pre-season programme that begins in Austria on Monday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side will start preparations for the 2021/22 campaign in Salzburg, with ten Liverpool youngsters unveiled as members of the 34-man squad.
But who are the breakout stars who have caught the manager's eye?
The ECHO talks you through the up and coming Reds heading to Austria.
Jake Cain
Cain is the definition of a Klopp midfielder – versatile, intelligent, bright on the ball, forward thinking and positive.
The 19-year-old already has an FA Youth Cup, a first professional contract, a senior debut and first team training under his belt since joining the academy as a nine year-old.
Cain made his senior debut, playing a key role in the FA Cup fourth round replay win over Shrewsbury Town in 2019/20.
The midfielder was instrumental alongside Clarkson and Jones - who he came through the age-groups with at Kirkby - and has continued to be involved with first-team training ever since.
Leighton Clarkson
It isn’t surprising Clarkson has been chosen in Klopp’s pre-season squad as the 19-year-old made his first-team debut back in December
The all-action midfielder has rapidly progressed through the ranks at Liverpool.
Clarkson’s Liverpool Under-18 debut came as an Under-16 and he soon became a regular for Barry Lewtas' side as an integral part of the FA Youth Cup winning squad in 2019.
Clarkson, who captained the youth side on occasion before making the step up, then broke into the Under-23 squad.
The set piece specialist’s greatest Liverpool moment to date, however, was training with the first-team on a regular basis in 2020.
Marcelo Pitaluga
Liverpool could have Alisson’s heir already lined up in Marcelo Pitaluga.
The £1million signing from Fluminense impressed for the Under-23s since his arrival last year but picked up an injury in February.
However, the young Brazilian has been training with Virgil van Dijk in Portugal in preparation of returning from injury ahead of pre-season.
Van Dijk isn't the first big Liverpool name to train with the wonderkid.
Fellow Brazilian and goalkeeper Alisson was pictured training with his brother Muriel and Pitaluga when he returned home last year.
Liverpool’s pre-season in Austria will be the 18-year-olds first experience of first team football.
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Harvey Davies
Davies's inclusion in Klopp’s 34-man squad follows another big step for the young goalkeeper, having signed his first professional contract with the club earlier this week.
The 17-year-old, who has been with the club since the Under-9s, was called up to the Champions League squad to face RB Leipzig in March and was named on the bench.
The Liverpool-native stepped up to Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s Under-18 squad last season having made his debut in the FA Youth Cup as a 16-year-old in the previous campaign.
Davies trained with Alisson last season. Speaking on the experience, he said: "There’s nothing better than training with the best ‘keeper in the world.”
Billy Koumetio
Koumetio has been selected for Klopp’s pre-season squad but it isn’t the 18-year-old’s first rodeo.
The young centre-back was whisked off to Austria with his more senior teammates as Liverpool began their pre-season programme last summer, just days after signing his first professional contract with the club.
Speaking about Koumetio back in 2020, Klopp said: “Billy the kid, yes. He’s like a tree! He’s a big talent, he was unfortunately injured for quite a while so now he’s starting to come back. I’m pretty sure he’ll make big steps.”
Owen Beck
Liverpool clearly rate Beck very highly and the teenager even has the backing of Ian Rush.
The youngster signed his first professional contract at Liverpool in June, penned another deal with the club just five months later and is reportedly on the brink of agreeing new terms this week.
Beck is described as an 'attacking, technical and modern full-back' and academy manager Alex Inglethorpe is said to be impressed by his attitude.
The Welsh international started out as an attacking midfielder but transitioned into left-back where he has flourished since joining Liverpool from Stoke City as an under-13.
Beck is the great-nephew of Rush and the Liverpool legend is understood to be willing to offer him guidance both on and off the field.
Kaide Gordon
Gordon has been tipped for big things following his £1million transfer from Derby County in February.
Manchester United and Tottenham had also been in the race for the highly-rated teen, who was described as 'one of the best trainers' in his squad by Derby boss Wayne Rooney.
The forward scored prolifically for the Reds’ under-23 side after signing, with big expectations for his future starting to emerge.
Gordon is comfortable in a number of roles across the attack and has a magic left foot similar to Mohamed Salah's.
The 16-year-old is set to be one of the youngest members Liverpool’s training team.
Mateusz Musialowski
Liverpool beat Arsenal to Musialowski’s signature in 2020.
The player joined first-team training over the international break in March and was the only youngster Klopp kept around after.
After impressing the Reds boss, it is no wonder he has earned a spot in Liverpool’s training squad for pre-season.
The teenager’s versatility could gift him an easy path into the team as he can play from the left, the right, as a number 10 or up top.
Musialowski demonstrated his quality several times last season but none showed it off more than his strike against Newcastle United Under-18s back in March. He dribbled from the halfway line past several players to slot a phenomenal shot home.
Mateusz Musialowski with an unbelievable goal for #LFCU18s at the weekend pic.twitter.com/EGCShBgQ9l
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
Tyler Morton
Early signs suggest that Morton, who has been with Reds since the age of seven, is certainly one to watch.
The Wirral-born midfielder signed a new five-year contract at Anfield in January days after scoring in the Under-23s Merseyside Derby.
He only turned 18 last October but Morton was called up to the Under-23s side part way through last season.
The midfielder then stepped up a level further with the likes of Jake Cain and Leighton Clarkson and trained with Jurgen Klopp’s senior squad.
The starlet has Thiago in his sights, naming the Liverpool midfielder alongside Steven Gerrard as his heroes.
Love that finish! #LFCU23s pic.twitter.com/ap16vbl15L
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
Conor Bradley
Neco Williams’s push to leave Liverpool this summer has opened up a pathway for highly-regarded academy prospect Conor Bradley to make it into Klopp’s first team training.
The Northern Irish right-back, who arrived at the Reds in 2019 from Dungannon United in his homeland, was fast-tracked to the Under-23s this season.
The 17-year-old has featured regularly in Liverpool’s youth ranks, with 14 appearances in the Premier League 2 and five appearances for the Under-18s in the FA Youth Cup, featuring in wins over Manchester United, Leicester, Arsenal and Ipswich before a defeat to Aston Villa in the final.
Bradley trotted on for his international debut for Northern Ireland in their friendly win over Malta in May, justifying his hard work at Kirkby last season.
