Liverpool’s young star says no to a ‘record-breaking’ offer from Premier League rivals.
One of Liverpool’s most exciting young players has decided to stay with the club, even after getting big offers from other Premier League teams.
Josh Abe, a 15-year-old winger who has been with Liverpool since he was just four, has signed a pre-contract to start next year. Abe has also caught the eye of big clubs like Real Madrid, where former Liverpool player Trent Alexander-Arnold now plays.
Abe plays above his age group at Liverpool and some people see him as the next big academy star, similar to teenage Londoner Rio Ngumoha, who has already played 19 Premier League games and won’t turn 18 until August.
According to The Athletic, Abe and his family turned down interest from other Premier League clubs to sign with Liverpool. James Pearce reports that Abe, one of the most promising talents at the Kirkby academy, signed a three-year pro deal that will begin when he turns 17 in July 2027.
This is great news for Liverpool after many months of talks led by Fenway Sports Group’s technical director Julian Ward. Some sources say other clubs offered Abe over £50,000 a week to leave.
Local reports say big rivals Manchester United and Manchester City have been watching Abe for years and even tried to sign him before.
Pearce also shared that Abe will get a squad number next season and could soon be called up to the first team. Although a knee injury during an England Under-16 tournament in Turkey cut his season short, Abe is expected to be ready for pre-season and will join the team for their US tour next month.
Last season, 11 players under 18 appeared in the Premier League, but none were as young as Abe. Arsenal’s Max Dowman debuted at 15, played six league games, and became the youngest Premier League starter at 16 on the final day of the season.