Liverpool are interested in an 18-year-old left-back, but his agent has advised against a switch as it is odds for his “development and playing time.”
The focus of the summer has been solely on adding midfielders capable of challenging for a spot in the starting XI, with defensive reinforcements also sought after.
But the club are always on the lookout for young talent to bolster their ranks, their academy has been the birthplace of several generational talents after all – one only needs to look at Trent Alexander-Arnold.
However, despite the obvious lure that Liverpool possesses, the agent of Patrick Dorgu, a left-back for Lecce’s youth team in Italy, has advised against any move.
Kingsley Ogbodo, Dorgu’s agent, confirmed the Reds’ interest in his client to Danish outlet Bold, but made it clear that “it’s not the best for him” and money is not enough for his signature.
“Liverpool want him,” Ogbodo said. “Liverpool have been watching him and interested in him for some time, but if he goes there he’ll have to play in the U23 team.
“It’s not the best for him, so I advise him not to do it. They can offer him a lot of money, but that’s not what we’re looking for right now. We focus on his career, development and playing time.
“Liverpool is of course not the only club that wants him. There are many clubs here in England who are keeping an eye on him.”
Dorgu, who has represented Denmark at youth level and is of Nigerian descent, has yet to make his senior debut for Lecce but was part of their Primavera 1 title win in 2022/23 – Italy’s biggest youth competition.
The youngster has an eye for goal – he scored four in 2022/23 – and is highly rated within Italy’s youth division after 38 appearances in his first season for Lecce.
With plenty of development left to do, it is not a surprise to see his agent speak out against a move as there is no guarantee for what the future holds.
Calvin Ramsay and Fabio Carvalho, while both older than Dorgu when they joined Liverpool, act as cautionary tales with both going out on loan in 2023/24 to find the playing time they need and desire.
On the flip side, Ben Doak showed there is a pathway into Jurgen Klopp‘s squad for those in the academy but left-back may prove a harder position to crack.
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