Why is Ben Doak so highly rated as West Ham and Wolves enter transfer race?
Ben Doak has been linked with a move away from Anfield for most of 2025.
A number of players have already left Anfield, the most high-profile of which is Luis Diaz,
Jarell Quansah has already left to join Bayer Leverkusen, while Harvey Elliott also has an uncertain future in L4 as Arne Slot seems to be content with letting some young talent leave this summer.
Other youngsters, such as Rio Ngumoha, have also thrived this pre-season under Slot, but Doak will be determined to prove to the manager that he is the teenager who should be deployed in the first team next season, not Ngumoha.
Whilst Doak will not start over Mohamed Salah every week on the right wing, keeping the 19-year-old would make a lot of sense for the Reds despite interest from other Premier League clubs.
Wolves and West Ham showing ‘major interest’ in Doak
With Tyler Morton also on the verge of leaving Merseyside, Liverpool cannot afford to let Doak follow him out the door.
The Scottish winger gained valuable experience on loan whilst at Middlesbrough in the Championship last season, making 24 appearances for the North Yorkshire outfit.
- Doak managed to bag three goals and lay on a further seven assists for Middlesbrough last campaign
Michael Carrick was the Boro manager when Doak was there on loan, and he was full of praise for the youngster following his full debut back in September, a game in which he also scored.
“I thought he showed what he’s all about, he’s a real threat,” Carrick said.
“He’s young, but if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. He hasn’t played an awful lot of football, but he’s got character and personality, and when he’s come on, he’s proven really eager to have an impact and develop,” the former Manchester United player said to Teesside Live (29 September 2024).
Naturally, Doak’s performances and seal of approval from his former manager have attracted interest from other clubs who feel the teenager is ready for the Premier League.
According to reports from David Lynch on X (August 5), Doak is attracting “major interest” from West Ham and Wolves this summer, amongst others.
Liverpool have previously rejected £20million bids from both Ipswich and Crystal Palace in January and would be wise to dismiss any interest in Doak again this summer.
https://x.com/davidlynchlfc/status/1952611000634466317Slot should keep Doak as part of his squad
Given the Scotsman’s age, he will likely be okay with playing second fiddle behind Salah on the right wing, which is tricky to come by if Slot were to sign another player in this position.
Being allowed to continue to grow and develop under Slot, whilst being played in cup games or league fixtures when Salah needs a rest, would be beneficial for Doak’s development.
Given the quality of Liverpool’s squad, they are likely to go far in multiple competitions, giving Doak plenty of opportunities to rack up appearances for the Reds next season.
His blistering pace, paired with his dribbling ability, will make him a threat off the bench for Liverpool, whilst his ability to register assists will surely have Hugo Ekitike licking his lips at the thought of receiving even more quality from wide areas.
Sign up for the Liverpool News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Liverpool news sent straight to your phone.