Dominic Solanke’s pre-season performances alone have proven he is capable of being far more than just an U23s player for Liverpool next season.
The Reds striker has been in inspired form since arriving from Chelsea, carrying on his impressive displays from his victorious U20 World Cup campaign with England.
Saturday saw him add to his goal tally for his new club by rounding off a 3-1 win for Liverpool against Athletic Bilbao in their final friendly before the new Premier League season.
Solanke finished things off just over 10 minutes from time when he positioned himself perfectly between two defenders before expertly heading home Ragnar Klavan’s cross.
This marked his fourth goal in a Liverpool shirt, having also been on target in games against Tranmere, Crystal Palace and Hertha Berlin over the last couple of months.
While his goal scoring prowess and natural instinct has inevitably caught the eye, other key aspects to his overall game have seen him emerge as a viable attacking option for Jurgen Klopp heading into the new season.
The 19-year-old has already demonstrated a tendency to drop deeper to pick up the ball and play the role of creator, as well as making runs into wider areas to open up space for runners through the middle.
His versatility was on shown once again in Dublin on Saturday as he worked hard to not only put himself in goal scoring positions but also bring his teammates into the attack.
Another mature performance from a seriously promising summer signing. Many have even gone as far to suggest he represents stiff competition for Divock Origi’s place in the pecking order. We’ll see…
Here’s a look at his best bits…
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