Liverpool Secures Signing of Talented 14-Year-Old Defender Highly Commended by Yaya Toure

In light of post-Brexit regulations that restrict English clubs from signing foreign players under the age of 18, Liverpool is on the verge of finalizing a deal for a 14-year-old midfielder who has garnered praise from Manchester City legend Yaya Toure, as per a recent report.

The altered landscape of youth recruitment has compelled clubs to shift their focus towards nurturing domestic talent instead of scouting talents from abroad.

Recently, Manchester United made headlines with the acquisition of 16-year-old striker Gabriele Biancheri from Championship side Cardiff City.

Notably, Arsenal demonstrated their commitment to this approach by securing a pre-contract agreement with the highly regarded left-back prodigy Lino Sousa from West Brom, who officially joined the Gunners on professional terms when he reached the age of 17 in January 2022.

The latest report suggests that Liverpool has reached an agreement for a 14-year-old player.

Liverpool’s Pursuit of 14-Year-Old Talent According to The Secret Scout, Liverpool is poised to secure the services of defender Harvey Owen from fellow Premier League outfit Wolves, for a fee in the region of £800,000.

Sources indicate that Owen has already committed to a pre-scholarship arrangement with Liverpool. As per FA regulations, players under the age of 17 are unable to enter into a club’s employment contract unless it falls under a scholarship deal, which can be offered for a maximum duration of two years once the player reaches the age of 14, subsequently subject to evaluation when they turn 16.

Owen has previously received accolades from Yaya Toure, the renowned Ivorian footballer who currently serves as a first team coach at Tottenham, following a friendly match against Wolves last year.

Wolves development coach Wes Hughes revealed, “During our recent fixture against Tottenham, an ex-player in Yaya Toure approached Harvey and personally commended his potential, emphasizing that he will undoubtedly become an exceptional player in the future. Harvey can take great pride in this recognition.”

Hughes further added, “Introduced to our squad last year [2021] at the age of 13, Harvey played in the U15 Youth Cup. The team displayed an impressive performance throughout the competition, reaching the semi-finals, with Harvey making a significant contribution to our journey.”