Liverpool have procuded some excellent players from their academy over the years, that are now finding making their way in the first team.
One of those, Curtis Jones, has become a key player under Arne Slot this term, and started the first game of Thomas Tuchel’s reign as England manager.
There are also a few notable academy graduates in defence who have had a part to play in the first team at Anfield; they include effervescent right-back Conor Bradley and centre-back Jarell Quansah.
However, the most notable academy graduate in the first-team is Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sadly, he could be set to depart the club at the end of the season.
Why Trent has decided to leave Liverpool
Alexander-Arnold has done it all in a Liverpool shirt. In 349 games for his boyhood club, he’s scored 22 goals and grabbed 87 assists, helping his side to their first-ever Premier League title and the Champions League in 2018/19.
He has been one of the most creative players in Premier League history, notably reaching double figures for assists across three separate top-flight campaigns, registering 12 in 2018/19, 13 in 2019/20 and another dozen in 2021/22.
Yet, he might not add many more things to the incredible legacy he has built at Anfield. The 26-year-old is on the verge of signing for Real Madrid, according to highly reputable journalist David Ornstein.
In a recent report, he explained that Los Blancos are ‘working to close’ the signing of the England international, which will not cost them a transfer fee given his contract will expire at the end of the season.
This would be a seismic loss for Liverpool, who would need to find a way to replace one of their most important attacking outlets. Ornstein reports that Madrid have been tracking the right-back for two years and have been trying since January to convince him to join the club.
So, why is he departing? Well, it’s certainly not for the money. The Liverpudlian currently earns £180k-per-week in Merseyside and according to talkSPORT, he’s set to earn £220k-per-week at the Santiago Bernabeu, only a small raise.
It could also be in an attempt to boost his own profile. Last year the right-back admitted he wanted to win the Ballon d’Or, and Madrid could give him the platform to do just that considering they are serial Champions League winners. Europe’s elite competition is often seen as the catalyst for the game’s top players to be crowned the best player in the world.
But, where did it all begin? Well, in the youth ranks at Liverpool, of course. It was during the infancy of his career that he ran into some of the finest to come through the youth system, although some, as is the case in this scenario, don’t make the grade at Anfield.
Liverpool academy star was ahead of Trent
Liverpool’s academy has always been a rich source of quality players, no more so than when Alexander-Arnold came through the ranks.
Making his Liverpool U21s debut in 2016, a 3-0 defeat against Manchester City, the full-back was soon joined in the same side by Ben Woodburn. It was during that 2016/17 campaign where both players started making waves in the academy.
Woodburn looked like a serious talent and was already being talked about more regularly than Trent, largely because he’d scored eight times and assisted six goals in just 15 Premier League 2 outings.
It wasn’t long before the Welshman started making an impact at first-team level too, actually making his Premier League debut a month before Alexander-Arnold did, featuring in a 2-0 win over Sunderland, aged 17 years and one month.
So vast was the forward’s potential that he actualy holds a prestigious record at Anfield. He is the club’s youngest ever goalscorer, finding the back of the net against Leeds United in the League Cup at the age of 17 years and 45 days. He beat Michael Owen’s long-standing record in the process.
However, it didn’t work out for the prodigy. In total, the Liverpool academy graduate made just 11 appearances for the club, with his strike against the Whites his only goal for the club. Woodburn’s final first-team appearance came on the final day of the 2017/18 Premier League season.
The Wales international went on four separate loan spells during his time at Liverpool, but never really managed to settle at one club. In 2022, he departed Anfield on a free transfer, where he first played for Preston North End and, most recently, Salford City.
For the Class of ’92-owned club, Woodburn has enjoyed the most successful spell of football in his career. In 26 appearances, he’s scored three goals and grabbed three assists, the same as he got at North End in 64 appearances.
Liverpool
11
1
0
Sheffield United
8
0
0
Oxford United
16
1
5
Blackpool
11
0
0
Hearts
30
3
2
Preston
64
3
3
Salford
26
3
3
Sadly, Woodburn did not live up to the expectation of him at Anfield. At one stage, it looked like he could go on to have a long and successful career at Liverpool, just as Alexander-Arnold has done, but it was not to be.
When Trent set up a Real Madrid goal: Worst defensive moments for Liverpool
With Trent Alexander-Arnold edging closer to the exit door, here’s a look at some of his more embarrassing moments.
ByStephan GeorgiouMar 26, 2025