Hands up if you hadn’t heard of Ryan Kent prior to last night. Well, you definitely have now! The 18-year-old midfielder burst onto the scene last night with two wonderful goals for our Under-21s against Everton.
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The young Reds were thoroughly impressive in winning the ‘mini-derby’ at Goodison Park and moving to within two points of league leaders Manchester United. You can watch the highlights of the 3-1 win by clicking HERE.
Despite the return of Sheyi Ojo and Jerome Sinclair, who have both spent time on loan in the Championship with Wigan Athletic this season, it was Kent who stole the show.
So who exactly is he? Does he have a future at Anfield? Find out all you need to know below…
How long as he been with Liverpool?
Kent joined Liverpool at the age of seven, working his way up through the ranks after starting with our Under-9s.
Where does he play?
Our official website describes him as a ‘dynamic winger who can play on the left or right side’. They add that Kent loves to take on defenders and cause endless problems for the opposition. In recent weeks he has proved his versatility and adaptability, also playing in a more advanced role behind a central striker.
What’s his record like so far?
He made eight appearances for the Under-18s during their 2012-13 season. That year he was also involved in the NextGen Series. From there, he quickly progressed to becoming a regular for the side, making 27 appearances and scoring four goals last season. He made his breakthrough in the Under-21s at the back-end of last campaign and has continued with Michael Beale’s side for their current campaign.
When are we likely to see him in the first-team?
Soon, according to the Liverpool Echo. They claim that he would have followed the likes of Sinclair and Ojo out on loan this season were it not for a back issue that saw him miss a couple of months of the season. There’s every chance that Brendan Rodgers could choose to trial the trio between now and the end of the current Premier League campaign.
Can he follow in the footsteps of Raheem Sterling and Jordon Ibe?
Absolutely. As Sky Sports reported at the end of last year, the youngster is highly-rated at Anfield and has already been tipped for success. He recently signed his first professional contract with the club and is now looking to continue his progression in one of the best youth development set-ups in the country.
Which players does he model himself after?
He told our official website that his favourite Liverpool player is Steven Gerrard and admitted that his idol growing up was Ronaldinho. It’s easy to see where his routes as a creative midfielder come from…
Fun childhood facts:
Again as part of an interview with our official website, Kent revealed several interesting facts about himself. His favourite sport, other than football, is basketball. His favourite subject as school was Business studies. He enjoys hip-hop music, likes Chinese food and dreams of meeting boxing legend Floyd Mayweather – although we’d prefer the two didn’t step in a ring!
Check out a video of the prodigal midfielder, below: