Southampton eye loan deal for Liverpool teenager Ben Doak – report
Liverpool winger Ben Doak is attracting Premier League interest with the club interested in a loan move, according to The Athletic.
Writing on their website (27 July), Southampton and Leicester are keen on securing Doak’s services for the 2023/24 season.
The 18-year-old made five appearances for the Reds last season before a knee injury sidelined him for the rest of the season and ended his hopes of participating for Scotland at Euro 2024.
Liverpool to allow Doak to leave on loan
Doak has established himself as one of the brightest prospects from the AXA Academy since his move from Celtic in 2022.
He is the only out-and-out deputy to Mohammed Salah on the right wing but can play anywhere across the front line with 11 goals and eight assists in 29 appearances across the youth setup.
Jurgen Klopp’s final season would have been the perfect opportunity for the winger to showcase his talents with Bobby Clark, Jayden Danns, and James McConnell gaining first-team experience last term.
The Scotland international is eager to make up for lost time and while he could feature for the Reds next season, his development could benefit from regular game time elsewhere.
Slot will decide whether he can provide enough minutes for the winger this season to help him fulfill his potential, he has undeniable quality but, at this stage may not be enough to play regularly for the Reds.
A move to either Southampton or Leicester could benefit all parties, either side will receive a player eager to impress in the Premier League, with the qualities to do so, and Liverpool will get a young player with a year’s worth of top-flight experience under his belt.
Liverpool need to start planning for a future without Salah and with all the current forward options capable of deputising for the Egyptian, the move to send Doak on loan makes perfect sense for the club’s long-term plans.
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