Liverpool Youth Players that Went on to Bigger Things

When it comes to youth teams, Liverpool is one of the leading clubs to not only procure and develop some of the biggest future names in the game, but also to promote from within and give youngsters with promise the chance to prove themselves on the field.

It’s no secret that the likes of Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler have cemented their places in the football hall of fame, but often, it’s likely that many youth players will experience a lull in their careers before they really take off. With this in mind, let’s take a look at some forgotten Liverpool youth players that have gone on to bigger things.

Conor Coady

One of the biggest examples of a battle for success is Conor Coady, who started out with the Liverpool Youth Academy back in 2005. After showing consistent talent in the games he was called up for and even playing for the senior squad occasionally in 2009, Coady didn’t catch a real break until he made his senior debut in November 2012 in a UEFA Europa League group stage match. He quickly rose to full-time captain of the under-21 youth squad and made his Premier League debut in a match against Fulham in May 2013.

Two years later, after signing for Huddersfield Town, Coady signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers on a three-year contract, where he quickly worked his way up to full-time club captain (2018–19). Fast forward to September 2020, not only did Coady win his first full England cap, but he signed a new five-year deal with Wolverhampton, and in August 2022, he signed for Premier League club Everton on a season-long loan.

Jack Robinson

When talking about Liverpool youth players achieving hard-earned success, Jack Robinson will find a way to the top of the list, mainly because he holds the record as Liverpool’s second-youngest-ever player and was capped by the England team for the under-21s.

Unfortunately, options for first-team play seemed to be limited for Robinson despite being signed long-term with Liverpool in 2011, so he began to play on loan for Wolverhampton in 2012-13, then for Blackpool in 2013, before signing for Queens Park Rangers and immediately being loaned to Huddersfield town. He returned to QPR for the 2017/18 season, but rejected a long-term contract with the club, signing instead with Nottingham Forest and then Sheffield United two years later in 2020. This is where Robinson seems to have settled and is still on the starting lineup for 2023.

Raheem Sterling

With an easier rise to fame, Liverpool Youth Academy star Raheem Sterling has gone from strength to strength since signing from QPR at the age of 15. With a first-team debut at 17 (in 2012) and playing over 100 games for Liverpool across competitions, he signed for Manchester City just three years later with the highest transfer fee ever paid for an English player (at the time). Between 2015 and 2022, Sterling has wowed on the field and played for England in the World Cup in 2014, 2018 and 2022 - and in the summer of 2022 he returned to London to sign for Chelsea.

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