Kaide Gordon has been out injured for nearly a year, but his manager has offered an update on his return, with “everything going to plan.”
Last January, Gordon was being billed as the next big name to come out of Liverpool’s academy.
One year on and he’s almost become a forgotten man – amongst supporters anyway.
Last season, he scored against Shrewsbury on his second of four first-team appearances.
He also made the bench on six other occasions but, unfortunately, his season ended soon after.
The 18-year-old last featured in February for the under-21s, and he’s not played since due to fitness problems including a pelvic injury.
It has been a long road to recovery for the winger, but U21s manager Barry Lewtas has revealed there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
“He’s on the pitch, he’s running. We’re just building him up and taking care really,” he told reporters including This Is Anfield.
“He’s eligible to play for the youth team, which shows how young he is really.
“We’ve just got to be a bit careful with the injury he had but everything’s going to plan, and hopefully soon he’ll be an option for us.”
“We didn’t forget him”
Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders picked out Gordon for attention in December when he was on media duties for the Carabao Cup.
He said: “[We] didn’t mention him in a long time. He went with us to Dubai and started running [for the] first time.
“We know with these long-term injuries, where there is a lot of uncertainty, that he deserves a mention as well because the boy is very professional and gives everything.
“I just hope we can see him back without putting pressure on the boy.
“It’s great to see him on the pitch [and] just to tell him as well that we didn’t forget him.
“Even when new boys are coming up and flying and making big steps, we never will forget the old young ones, basically.”
Gordon plays primarily as a right winger but faces new competition upon his return, with summer signing Ben Doak impressing in that position also.
While the Scotsman drifts past players with frightening ease, Gordon arguably has the advantage in front of goal, with a better technique and calmer head in goalscoring positions.
Both players are still at the beginning of their careers, though, and a fight for places is no bad thing for development.
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