Forget Coutinho and Depay – the kids are alright!

For Liverpool, the kids are alright.

From the transfer revelations being expressed from the club and Jurgen Klopp, the big takeaway would seem to imply that the kids are alright.

It is certainly true the Reds have a healthy crop of young lads waiting in the wings to enter the stage and the big time. Premier League debuts under bright lights, big time football, and the unforgiving fishbowl of scrutiny.

As we have seen in the restart mini-season, Neco Williams and Curtis Jones have arrived and thus far are making the most of their opportunity. Expect this development to continue.

Harvey Elliott is a wealth of talent on the hoof, but still requires a couple of years maturity to be considered a first team option. Look for Liverpool to find him a secure loan option to continue his growth.

Rhian Brewster has come a long way in his development in the past two seasons. His 11 goals in 22 appearances for Swansea City in the Championship this past campaign may in fact suggest he is ready for a big time call-up. At 20, he is an ideal candidate to play understudy to the front three.

Divock Origi, while not really a kid any longer, has had some shining moments in relief for the Reds. If he plays in his natural position, he is far more potent and threatening. He is a good candidate to push Roberto Firmino to produce more goals, which is a must going forward if Klopp and the squad wish to improve on their past successes.

Takumi Minamino has a good bit of experience in competitions on multiple levels. With some much needed strength training, (he gets bodied off the ball too easily) he can fill in as a forward striker as well. He also looks good as a false nine, like Bobby. The Premier League is a far more physical league overall than what he has experienced before at RB Salzburg.

More from Rush The Kop

Loanees such as Harry Wilson, Marco Grujic and Ben Woodburn are all likely candidates to be sold on at this juncture.

There has been some scuttlebutt recently about acquiring the services of Lloyd Kelly from relegated Bournemouth. At 21, he has impressed both Eddie Howe and the Reds transfer committee. He can play at center-back and outside as a full-back.

He may be available on the cheap. With the sale of Dejan Lovern, the Reds could conceivably use those resources to bring him on. This, while a far more risky option than say a Jan Vertonghen, might be the best route in the long run.

Vertonghen would not come cheap; and it would remain to be seen where he would fall in the center back pecking order. Will he want to play second fiddle to Joe Gomez or Joel Matip?

There continues to be some speculation that Philip Coutinho could make a return to Anfield. As I’ve already addressed, this is an expense the Reds can ill afford at this point on several levels.

The same goes for Thiago Alcantara, from Bayern. He is an expense and a risk the Reds can ill afford at this point.

Finally, there have been rumblings about Memphis Depay, from Lyon. While he may wish to have another bite at the apple in the Premier League, he certainly won’t come cheap. And there are question marks regarding his fitness, like Alcantara.

To expect lightning to strike twice ala Mo Salah from Roma, may be an interesting idea, but the risk for me as Memphis isn’t worth it at this time.

So look for Liverpool to take a cautious measured approach to spending on a whole lot of maybe’s. Instead, Klopp seems to be stressing building from within, with the talent already available to him within the club development system.

A strong bet to be sure. He is betting on the youngsters to come good. This could go either way, and be a stroke of genius or a bust hand. To hang the championship defense and Champions League hopes on the youngsters could be a masterstroke in this transfer environment that sees limited funds due to lost revenues from the three month shutdown.

So for now, it would seem, at Liverpool that the kids are alright!