Two centre-backs caught the oculus of Liverpool's scouting section astatine the U17 World Cup successful Qatar past November.
Within weeks, the nine spent a combined £3.5m connected the pair: Senegal's Mor Talla Ndiaye and Austria's Ifeanyi Ndukwe.
Under Matt Newberry, Liverpool's caput of planetary talent, this was grounds of aboriginal readying successful afloat flow.
Yet surely no-one wrong the nine would person expected the teenage duo to beryllium the centre-back pairing for astir of Liverpool's opening pre-season fixture.
With Joe Gomez forced disconnected by wounded successful the eighth infinitesimal against Sunderland, and neither Jeremy Jacquet oregon Giovanni Leoni acceptable to play, Liverpool person a occupation astatine the bosom of their defence.
Looking astatine the agelong word is 1 thing, but they request reinforcements successful the present and now.
Even earlier the injury, caller caput manager Andoni Iraola said his squad was "very thin" defensively.
Gomez was absent from Liverpool's grooming league successful Chicago connected Sunday and an update connected the severity of his wounded is expected this week.
He is Liverpool's longest-serving existent subordinate but has present missed 225 games due to the fact that of injury, according to Transfermarkt, since signing from Charlton successful 2015.
Virgil van Dijk is the club's lone acceptable elder centre-back. The Liverpool skipper is 35 and played each infinitesimal successful the Premier League past season, but helium is not the unit that helium utilized to be.
The Dutchman, similar Gomez, is besides into the past twelvemonth of his declaration astatine Anfield. There is simply a anticipation some players volition determination connected adjacent summer.
One of the reasons wherefore Liverpool allowed Ibrahima Konate to permission connected a escaped transportation and articulation Real Madrid was due to the fact that they felt Jacquet, 21, and Leoni, 19, who outgo £55m and £26m respectively, were the champion young centre-backs successful France and Italy.
Perhaps they volition beryllium inspired signings, with Jacquet successful enactment to marque his debut against Leeds connected Sunday.
Liverpool volition springiness them each accidental to fulfil their potential, but close now, conscionable similar Ndiaye and Ndukwe, some are acold from the finished product.
"We request players. It's reasonably obvious," erstwhile Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler told BBC Sport successful New York, wherever the Reds instrumentality connected Wrexham connected Wednesday.
"I'm precise bittersweet for Joe Gomez, who has been truthful unfortunate with injuries. This could person been a existent accidental to cement his spot and for him to amusement that we don't request different centre-half.
"We've spent wealth connected Jacquet and Leoni and the guidance that Joe and Virgil tin springiness from their acquisition to the young lads is telling.
"We won't spot the champion mentation of the young lads yet, but you bash request that acquisition successful the squad. And yes, the manager's been connected grounds saying that we request players and I would not beryllium amazed if different centre-half is successful that conversation."
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