It’s been a low key summer transfer window for Liverpool so far, with Dutch teenager Sepp van den Berg the only arrival so far, joining from PEC Zwolle for an initial £1.3m ($1.6m).
The 17-year-old looks set to be joined by England U17 attacking midfielder Harvey Elliott, who became the Premier League’s youngest ever player when he made his debut for Fulham against Wolves in May, aged 16 years and 30 days.
While many fans remain hopeful of one or two major signings this summer to build on Liverpool’s Champions League glory, the focus so far has been on continuity, keeping this group of players together and building towards the future by recruiting the best young talent out there.
The Reds had to fend off strong interest from German champions FC Bayern Munich to secure van den Berg’s signature, while Elliott – who was present at Prenton Park for Liverpool’s 6-0 win over Tranmere Rovers on Thursday – was pursued by the likes of CF Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain prior to choosing Liverpool.
Van den Berg has already joined the first team set up at Melwood, while Elliott can only sign a professional contract at Liverpool next April once he turns 17, and would initially join on youth terms.
Both deals represent major coups, and are part of a clear strategy of pinpointing teenagers with vast potential who fit the profile of the club and can develop under Jürgen Klopp’s guidance for years to come.
One of Klopp’s greatest managerial assets is his proven track record of improving players through work on the training ground and allowing young talent to flourish, with Trent Alexander-Arnold the shining example for all to aspire towards.
![Sepp van den Berg and Curtis Jones of Liverpool during pre-season training at Melwood](https://i2-prod.liverpoolecho.co.uk/incoming/article16554546.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_GettyImages-1154384884.jpg)
Another Dutch prodigy, Ki-Jana Hoever, was handed his debut by Klopp in January as a sixth-minute substitute to replace the injured Dejan Lovren in Liverpool’s FA Cup defeat against Wolves.
Only 16 at the time, Hoever became Liverpool’s youngest ever player to feature in the competition having rapidly progressed from the youth sides to the senior set up and has been described by Klopp as a ‘joy to watch’.
Signed from AFC Ajax last summer for just £90,000 ($113,000), Hoever’s market value has already far exceeded what Liverpool paid a year ago and will only continue to rise as he grows in stature over the next few seasons.
Again, the Reds had to battle a host of major clubs for Hoever’s signature, including Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, while Ajax did not want to lose such a promising talent.
Impressive in the second half against Tranmere on Thursday, Hoever’s versatility means he is comfortable at right-back or centre-back, and it would be no surprise to see him feature more regularly in the domestic cup competitions this season.
Klopp has demonstrated in the past that age is no barrier to first team involvement if the ability is there, and if the likes of Hoever and Van Den Berg regularly impress in training, then opportunities will arise.
Joe Gomez is another fine example for these young defenders to follow as he emerged as one of the standout defenders in the Premier League alongside Virgil van Dijk prior to sustaining a broken leg in December last season, a resounding success story following his transfer from Charlton Athletic for £3.5m ($4.4m) in 2015.
![](https://i2-prod.liverpoolecho.co.uk/incoming/article16553107.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_GettyImages-1152261559.jpg)
In Van Dijk, of course, they have the ultimate role model to look up to and learn from in training, while the opportunity to test themselves against some of the world’s finest attackers in Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino on a regular basis can only aid their development.
While the last few years has seen the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Matthijs de Ligt explode onto the scene as the hottest young transfer targets on the continent, commanding eye-watering fees, Liverpool’s approach is designed to unearth the next generation of top European talent and nurture them themselves before they become unattainable.
It may take some time before Hoever, Van Den Berg and Elliott become regular fixtures in the first team – and expectations should be tempered – but the fact they have chosen Liverpool as the place to continue their development at a key point in their careers speaks volumes about how the club is seen in terms of promoting young talent and helping them unlock their full potential.
Succession planning is key for long-term success, and in recruiting these names at such moderate prices, Liverpool are clearly looking to unearth diamonds in the rough and mould them into stars for the future.