Liverpool are reportedly set to sign 16-year-old midfielder Trey Nyoni from Leicester City in the ongoing transfer window.
Liverpool are closing in on signing 16-year-old Leicester City academy prodigy Trey Nyoni. That is according to Daily Mirror, who report that the Merseyside club are hopeful of wrapping up the transfer imminently as the Reds continue to cherry-pick young British talent to bolster their academy.
This comes after The Secret Scout reported that the Reds have been working on the deal for months and have now won the race to sign the Foxes midfielder, who is regarded as one of the most highly-coveted players in his age group currently.
Premier League clubs have been forced to cast their net closer to home to boost their academy ranks in the aftermath of Brexit. With deals such as the one that brought a teenage Stefan Bajcetic to Anfield no longer conceivable, they have resorted to poaching the youth systems of other British clubs.
The prime examples of this new youth recruitment strategy are Bobby Clark and Ben Doak, with the former arriving from Newcastle United and the latter signing from Celtic. And both have impressed in pre-season. The recent acquisition of 14-year-old defender Harvey Owen from Wolves, which cost the Reds £800,000, is another such example.
🚨Been told Liverpool have won the race to sign England international 16-year-old Trey Nyoni from Leicester. 🔴 #LFC
Liverpool been working on the deal for months. Central Midfielder one of the best in his age groups
BOOM 💥 🔜 pic.twitter.com/mjPquNAmmN
— TheSecretScout (@TheSecretScout_) July 30, 2023
Nyoni comes with a strong pedigree, having recorded two goals and one assist in 15 appearances for the Foxes’ under-18s last season despite playing two years his senior. He also featured for the under-21s in the Premier League International Cup.
Nyoni has dual English and Zimbabwean citizenship, but opted to represent England at Under-16 level, helping them win the Montaigu Tournament earlier this year. The youngster is expected to join the under-18s squad upon his arrival, having already confirmed his departure from Leicester City after 10 years in their youth ranks via an Instagram post.
While Nyoni is a smart long-term investment, Liverpool are still searching the market for a more experienced central midfielder ahead of next season. Alexis Macalister and Dominik Szoboszlai have been signed already, but the sales of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho on top of the players who left on free transfers earlier in the summer mean the Reds are still somewhat light in that area.
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Liverpool’s current top target is Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, having had a bid rejected by the Saints a few days ago. The Reds are looking to get the deal done quickly to avoid any rival hijacking, with Chelsea waiting in the wings to pounce after struggling to agree a transfer fee for Moises Caicedo.
