While Liverpool might be selling off a large chunk of youth prospects this summer, the Reds will still need to bring players through the Academy set-up in the coming years.
Arne Slot forged a reputation at Feyenoord for handing young stars an opportunity in the first team and Liverpool has agreed deals to sign the highly-rated teenage duo Rio Ngumoha (from Chelsea) and Alvin Ayman (from Wolves) this summer, pointing to a desire to keep bringing through the best British talent.
And U21s boss Barry Lewtas, speaking to a handful of reporters including Liverpool.com , has outlined the early conversations that he has been having with the new first-team head coach. Slot has had a lot to take in so far at Anfield — with the relationship to the youth set-up beginning to set in.
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"Yeah, it's been really good," Lewtas explained. "Everything is in the infancy really. Obviously when a new manager comes in his priority has got to be with the first team and that has got to be where it is. As time goes, relationships evolve and strengthen and hopefully we'll be able to support them in the best way possible and the way that he sees fit.
"So, yeah, it's been really good but very much so when a new manager comes in, his eyes have got to be on his own team and he will work so hard to make sure he gets his team how he wants them to play. So let's hope it grows and develops but the start has been really good and the relationships and the ideas we want to put into place have been really good.
"It's not about me, it's about the players. I think the relationship will be there and I think it is about the players proving they can be there and that is what it always is. If the players can impress any manager then there will always be an opportunity, so the pressure and responsibility is on us and the players to catch the manager's eye."
Trey Nyoni was arguably the stand-out young talent on the summer pre-season tour to the USA, but Harvey Blair is closing in on a move to Portsmouth while Bobby Clark was confirmed as having joined Pep Lijnders at Red Bull Salzburg earlier today. Sepp van den Berg is set to depart, with Brentford being the favorite for his signature, while Tyler Morton , Ben Doak , Kaide Gordon and Owen Beck could also be heading for the exit before next week's transfer deadline.
None of those players were involved in the 4-0 defeat that Liverpool U21s suffered against PSV on Wednesday. Jayden Danns , who is currently out injured, was in attendance watching from the sidelines, and he is another who has been linked with a departure (on loan rather than permanently).
"Listen, I think 100 per cent it is [difficult] but I don't want to make excuses," Lewtas said, referring to the transfer market being open and not knowing yet who will be staying or going. "But for us, in August, we've got a huge training group. Some players can play, some players can't play and it doesn't allow us to maybe nail down the work we're going to be doing with the group we've got.
"So maybe you can see [PSV] looked a lot more settled than us. But I think for any team in August, the reality is it's going to be a month where some players may be moving on and then when September starts the training group is done and that is when you can maybe start the work you want to do.
"That is not an excuse but I think today we didn't look [good]. And listen, credit to them, they looked really good as we did on Saturday against Man City. Today we never, you can't have it both ways and they had better solutions than us tonight. We have to take our medicine and move forward."
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