There’s a recurring theme running through the underage ranks at Liverpool – the presence of multiple sons of famous footballing fathers.
Last season saw Bobby Clark, Jayden Danns and Lewis Koumas all feature for the Reds’ first team. Each of those is the offspring of a former Premier League player – Lee, Neil and Jason respectively.
Another youngster at LFC with a familiar surname is Zac Jagielka, son of former Everton defender Phil. The 17-year-old is yet to make his senior debut for us, and reports suggest that he mightn’t get the chance to do so.
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According to Hull Live, the teenager is on trial at Championship outfit Hull City in the hope of securing a long-term contract with the Tigers, who are eyeing a deal to snap up the Wales under-17 striker.
He’s expected to join a host of underage players from the Yorkshire club in accompanying Tim Walter’s first team to Istanbul for a pre-season training camp next week.
Hull will be seeking to make the most of a positive working relationship with Liverpool, having signed Fabio Carvalho and Tyler Morton on loan from the Reds last season.
The Tigers also had Lazar Markovic at the club on a temporary basis during his time as an LFC player, along with purchasing Kevin Stewart from Anfield in 2017.
Despite seeing plenty of fellow teenagers getting their first-team chance on Merseyside over the past few months, and Arne Slot saying there’s a ‘fair chance’ that youth could have its fling under his watch also, it seems that Jagielka isn’t prepared to wait around for his opportunity.
It’s hard to blame him for seeking out what appears to be the quickest route to senior football, and if he believes he’ll get that more readily at Hull, it’s his prerogative to pursue that move.
If the 17-year-old does move on from Liverpool this summer, let’s just hope he doesn’t emulate his father in one regard by smacking a long-range stoppage time equaliser into the top corner of the net in front of the Kop!
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