Liverpool Academy Director Frank McParland has defended the club’s record on youth team signings this season claiming that it is an improvement in quality that has seen the number of signings fall rather than any lack of funding.
Responding to a question about the lack of youth signings this season compared to previous years McParland said that youth recruitment was simply getting harder as the quality of the players at the Academy increased.
“When I arrived we signed pretty much anyone who came on trial” said McParland.
In the previous three seasons Liverpool had made nearly 40 youth signatures but this season have brought in just Samed Yesil.
“There are a couple of age groups who need four or five brought in but they are much lower down the age groups.”
“We have never signed a player to fill a team sheet.”
McParland then also confirmed that Liverpool had signed a Hungarian schoolboy, presumed to be Kristof Polgar, and said the club had high hopes for him.
The news that Liverpool are continuing with their youth recruitment policy comes as a welcome relief – worries that FSG had pulled the plug on financing youth transfers had become a distinct possibility but McParland was adamant that any delay or slow-down in signings was down to having to sign the right quality of player which was increasingly difficult.
McParland was speaking at a fans briefing today, which was attended by This Is Anfield, we’ll have more reports today.
See also:
Liverpool look to secure ‘one club’ future
Injured Liverpool youth players were on verge of first-team call-up
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