Overview
- On Wednesday, June 3, Liverpool confirmed that 15-year-old winger Josh Abe has signed scholarship terms and a pre-contract that will begin as a three-year professional deal when he turns 17.
- Abe enjoyed a breakthrough 2025-26 season, making his under-18 debut, scoring eight goals in 10 U18 appearances, and becoming Liverpool's youngest player in the UEFA Youth League before a knee injury on England U16 duty ended his campaign in March.
- The club expects Abe to be fit for pre-season, plans to include him on the U.S. tour next month, and intends to assign him a first-team squad number for 2026-27 to accelerate his exposure to senior football.
- Top clubs including Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid had courted Abe, with reports that rival offers reached up to £50,000 per week, and he is represented by PLG Agency, recently acquired by Gersh.
- Liverpool officials view the signing as a win for the Kirkby pathway under technical leadership from Julian Ward, and the next tests will be Abe's recovery, integration under the incoming coach, and how the club balances development with commercial pressure.