The next starlet in line for a shot at a first team place
Liverpool journalist Neil Jones has identified Adam Lewis as the next U23 starlet to be given a shot at a first team place next season.
Lewis recently signed a new deal with the Reds and is highly rated by manager Jurgen Klopp and assistant Pep Lijnders.
Alberto Moreno’s contract expires at the end of the season, and Jones said Lewis would be given a chance to prove he deserves a place in the first team during the 2019/2020 pre-season campaign.
Daniel Sturridge was given a similar chance after returning from loan with West Brom and did enough to convince the coaching staff that he was worth keeping around the squad. Sturridge responded well with a few early season goals, but has since seen his first team opportunity diminish.
He's definitely in the frame for a first team chance if he impresses. Big summer for him, likely to be with England U20s. Klopp likes him, Lijnders likes him, but of course it's a huge step from there to first team.
— Neil Jones (@neiljonesgoal) February 19, 2019
Further youngsters hoping to make the grade next campaign will be Curtis Jones, Rafa Camacho and Rhian Brewster. Camacho was denied the chance to do on loan this January because of squad shortages, while Brewster has suffered horrendous luck with injuries.
Jones has been around the first team squad all season and should be in line for a few minutes if Adam Lallana is moved on during the transfer window.
The decision Klopp has to make is a fairly simple one: buy a left-back to play a reserve role or trust Lewis to perform when required. Moreno has only made five appearances this season as Robertson has assumed an all-conquering position within the squad.
Liverpool might struggle to recruit another LB based on those numbers, although Klopp could make the argument that someone he trusted more than Moreno would play more games.
Four options to replace Alberto Moreno in the summer. dark. Next
Nevertheless, it would be a massive show of faith in Lewis to promote him to the first team without playing a single senior minute of football. It’s a romantic notion and would be great to watch – but the pragmatist in Klopp must be fighting against it.