Liverpool have lost one of their young guns, Jack Lewis, to Leicester City, with the midfielder expected to sign a professional contract when he turns 17.
According to Leicestershire Live, Leicester City have completed the capture of Jack Lewis after running various trials for the young Liverpool academy starlet. The 16-year-old spent a few weeks with the club’s Under-18 squad during the backend of last season, acclimatising himself to his new surroundings.
Lewis is now soon expected to pen a two-year “scholarship” contract with Leicester City’s Under-18 side, having agreed personal terms with the club. He is also tipped to sign a professional deal once he turns 17 – becoming the latest Liverpool academy ace to leave Anfield in favour of a move elsewhere.
It has turned into quite a trend in recent years, as far as the LFC academy is concerned. One of the club’s most prized youngsters Ethan Ennis has also recently joined Chelsea, ditching the Merseyside giants.
It appears Jurgen Klopp’s failure to integrate enough homegrown talents into his first-team plans is finally catching up to him. While Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been successful, the Reds have had difficulties integrating a host of other exciting talents including Taiwo Awoniyi, Takumi Minamino and Rhian Brewster among many others.
One of the current senior team youngsters in Neco Williams is already eyeing a move away from Anfield while Nat Phillips has emerged as a transfer target for other Premier League clubs.
It doesn’t bode well for the club, especially at a time when rivals like Arsenal, Manchester United and even Chelsea have found a great deal of success in integrating young players into their first-team. It has made Liverpool an unappealing destination for talented youngsters, with Klopp often tending to older, experienced players.
It will be interesting to whether that changes in the upcoming campaign, especially with Georginio Wijnaldum joining Paris Saint-Germain. The club has also been linked with exciting youngsters like Adam Hlozek while the highly talented Harvey Eliott is set to return from his successful loan spell at Blackburn Rovers.
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They are both excellent options as Klopp hope to appear less reliant on the services of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane next season, although it remains to be seen whether Liverpool can strike any deal for Hlozek, who has emerged as a target for multiple clubs across Europe.
For now, the Reds will see another youngster in Lewis make the switch to Leicester, following in the footsteps of the aforementioned Ennis as well as Remi Savage, who is set to sign for Newcastle United.
