Another Liverpool academy youngster has agreed a new contract with the club, with Isaac Mabaya becoming the latest to pen fresh terms at Anfield.
With Jarell Quansah committing his future to the Reds on Friday, LFC announced on their official website today that the Zimbabwean right-back has done likewise.
The length of the 18-year-old’s new deal wasn’t specified in the club’s correspondence.
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Mabaya has yet to feature competitively for Liverpool at senior level, an appearance on the bench in an FA Cup tie against Shrewsbury in January 2022 the closest he’s come to a formal debut (Transfermarkt).
However, he did get first-team exposure during last year’s pre-season programme, playing against the likes of Manchester United and Red Bull Salzburg.
As per LFC’s official website, he earned high praise from the Reds’ elite development coach Vitor Matos, who said: “Isaac, his physical attributes are really, really good and he’s someone that can really give life to the right side of a team.”
As a right-back making his way through the Liverpool academy, Mabaya will inevitably earn comparisons to Trent Alexander-Arnold, another right-sided defender who successfully made the step up from youth level to the first team.
The 24-year-old has been hailed by none other than Cafu as one of the best players in his position in world football – at least before his recent adjustment to a midfield role – and has already played 270 times for the Merseysiders, winning some of the biggest prizes in club football (Transfermarkt).
The England international has accrued a whopping 86 goal contributions in that time, and if the Zimbabwean teenager can break into Jurgen Klopp’s side and make anywhere near the same impact, the academy will have produced another exceptional right-back.