NafisaLiverpool have made a habit of strengthening their academy with some of the most promising young players available across Britain, and that strategy continues to pay dividends as the club looks firmly towards the future.
While the headlines are often dominated by first-team arrivals, the recruitment team at Anfield has quietly assembled one of the country’s strongest youth systems by identifying elite prospects before they become household names.
It is a long-term model that has seen the Reds compete with some of Europe’s biggest clubs for teenage talent, and once again they appear to have won a significant race.
For clubs outside the Premier League, retaining their brightest academy stars has become increasingly difficult. Scottish football, in particular, has watched a number of highly-rated youngsters head south in search of greater opportunities, with Liverpool repeatedly emerging as an attractive destination.
That pattern looks set to continue after another exciting Celtic prospect opted to make the switch to Merseyside.
Liverpool have wrapped up another significant academy acquisition after Dara Jikiemi agreed his move to Anfield, with TEAMtalk reporting that the highly-rated Scottish youngster turned down the opportunity to remain at Celtic in favour of joining the Premier League champions.
TEAMtalk had exclusively revealed back in March that Liverpool were leading the race for the Scotland Under-16 captain, and the transfer is now expected to be completed as the teenager prepares for the next stage of his career on Merseyside.
Sources indicate that Jikiemi has accepted Liverpool’s terms and will officially arrive this summer on a scholarship agreement before signing his first professional contract when he celebrates his 17th birthday in January.
However, Liverpool’s plans reportedly extend far beyond that initial agreement.
TEAMtalk claim an arrangement is already in place for the defender to commit to another long-term professional contract once he turns 18 in January 2028, highlighting just how highly the club rates one of Britain’s brightest emerging talents.
The coaching staff at Liverpool are understood to believe they have secured a player with genuine first-team potential and have already mapped out a long-term development pathway designed to maximise his progress.
Jikiemi had opportunities to continue his journey at Celtic, where he established himself as one of the academy’s standout performers, but ultimately decided that Liverpool represented the best environment for his future development.
The Scotland Under-16 captain is regarded by many within youth football as one of the country’s outstanding talents, with his leadership qualities, composure and technical ability setting him apart from others in his age group.
His move also continues a growing trend of gifted youngsters leaving Celtic to join Liverpool.
Liverpool continue investing in elite young talent
Jikiemi now follows a similar route taken by Ben Gannon-Doak, who also left the Hoops for Liverpool as a teenager before progressing through the academy system and moving closer to senior football.
Liverpool have consistently invested in some of the finest youth prospects across Britain and Ireland, with sources suggesting Jikiemi has been identified as one of the standout recruits in the club’s latest intake.
Although the immediate priority will be his development within the academy setup, there is growing confidence inside Anfield that he possesses the attributes needed to eventually compete for first-team opportunities.
By securing not only his scholarship agreement but also putting plans in place for a future professional contract, Liverpool have demonstrated the level of belief they have in the teenager’s long-term prospects.
TEAMtalk understand the Reds view Jikiemi as one of the most exciting young footballers of his generation.
While manager Arne Slot continues working to rebuild a squad capable of challenging for major honours again after last season’s disappointing title defence, Liverpool’s recruitment team remain equally focused on the future.
The club’s move for Jikiemi highlights that long-term vision, ensuring the academy continues producing players capable of challenging for senior places over the coming years.
TEAMtalk also report that Liverpool are developing strong interest in one of the breakout young stars of the recent World Cup, Mexico sensation Gilberto Mora, while the club continue monitoring Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, although the French side are now expected to demand a substantial fee for the highly-rated youngster.
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