10 Liverpool wonderkids to watch in 2025/26 – Koumas, Esdaille and more
Liverpool may have won the Premier League title in the 2024/25 season, but they have a number of promising players coming through the ranks.
Jurgen Klopp played a key role in promoting a number of players from the academy, famously guiding them to a Carabao Cup triumph, beating Chelsea in the final.
Arne Slot took over from the German and delivered the league in his first season, and he could be turning to some of the talented players in the academy in the coming years.
Here are 10 Liverpool wonderkids to look out for in the 2025/26 season:
Lewis Koumas – Forward
Koumas is a versatile Welsh attacker who joined Liverpool’s academy from Tranmere at the Under-11s level.
Known for cutting in from the left to score, he debuted for Liverpool’s senior team in the 2024 FA Cup, netting against Southampton.
His 2024/25 loan at Stoke City yielded 49 appearances and six goals, helping them avoid relegation.
DJ Esdaille – Right-back
Esdaille is a promising defender in Liverpool’s Under-18 squad, showcasing versatility and composure.
Despite limited senior exposure, his regular U18 starts highlight his potential.
Esdaille’s physicality and ability to read the game mark him as a future prospect, though he needs to refine his decision-making to climb the Reds’ defensive ranks.
Ben Doak – Winger
Doak, a 19-year-old Scottish winger, is arguably Liverpool’s brightest wonderkid.
Known for blistering pace and dribbling, he shone on loan at Middlesbrough in 2024-25, scoring four goals.
His senior debut for the Reds came at 17 and he’s now pushing for first-team minutes under Slot.
A Scotland international, Doak’s flair and work rate make him a future star, though injuries remain a concern.
Trey Nyoni – Midfielder
Nyoni moved to Anfield in 2023, joining from Leicester City.
He then signed his first professional contract with the Reds a year later.
The English midfielder started with the Under-18s and made headlines by scoring a stoppage-time winner against arch rivals Everton in his home debut.
He made his senior debut aged 16 when he came off the bench against Southampton in an FA Cup clash in January 2025.
Nyoni also became Liverpool’s youngest-ever player in European competition, debuting as a substitute in the Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven in January 2025, aged 17 years and seven months.
Amara Nallo – Centre-back
Nallo signed from West Ham in 2023 and is a commanding centre-back capable of playing at left-back.
At 17, he debuted in the 2025 Champions League against PSV, though he was sent off four minutes later.
His physicality and EFL Trophy experience against senior sides underline his readiness.
A regular Under-21 starter and Under-19 captain, the Englishman’s rapid rise suggests he’s close to first-team contention, with coaches praising his maturity and defensive instincts.
Kornel Misciur – Goalkeeper
Misciur, a 17-year-old goalkeeper, has established himself as Liverpool’s Under-21s No. 1 despite his youth.
His shot-stopping and ball-playing composure earned him first-team training sessions under Arne Slot.
In the 2024-25 FA Youth Cup, he faced tough opposition but showed grit and determination.
The Englishman’s integration into senior setups signals a bright future, potentially challenging for a backup role in the coming years.
Josh Sonni-Lambie – Forward
Sonni-Lambie, 17, is a versatile Under-18s talent, excelling as a forward but also has been deployed at left-back.
His technical skill and goal-scoring instinct shone in the Under-21s, though a missed penalty in a 2024 U21 loss to Newcastle highlighted areas for growth.
Regular youth appearances and first-team training exposure under Slot mark him as a prospect with high potential, needing consistency to secure a senior breakthrough.
Stefan Bajcetic – Midfielder
Bajcetic, a 20-year-old Spanish midfielder, joined from Celta Vigo back in 2020 and made his senior debut in 2022, coming off the bench in the 9-0 win against Southampton.
He’s even scored a senior goal against Aston Villa in the Premier League during the 2022-23 season.
The midfielder spent the first half of the 2024-25 season on loan at RB Salzburg and was then sent to Las Palmas in January.
Calum Scanlon – Left-back
Scanlon, a dynamic left-back who’s also capable of playing as a winger, joined Liverpool’s Under-21s side in 2023.
Injuries and competition have limited his senior chances, but his U21 performances show promise.
Scanlon’s pace and attacking instincts suit Slot’s system, though he must improve defensively to challenge Andy Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas for a first-team spot.
Kaide Gordon – Winger
Gordon, a gifted winger, scored in the 2022 FA Cup at 17 but has been hampered by injuries.
His 2024-25 loans to Norwich and Portsmouth saw limited game time, prompting a return to Liverpool.
The 20-year-old needs consistent minutes to regain form, but his early senior exposure suggests a potential first-team role under Slot.
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